One killed in shooting attack at El Al counter in L.A. Airport

Ha'aretz Daily ^ | July 4, 2002 | Benny Landau

[Semper Paratus]

One person was killed and four others were wounded Thursday in a shooting at approximately 10 P.M. (Israel time) at El Al's ticket counter at Los Angeles Airport.

Byron Tucker, a spokesman for Governor Gray Davis, confirmed that an El Al security guard fatally shot the gunman.

The four injured in the attack at the Tom Bradley international terminal received medical treatment on the scene before being evacauted to hospital. One of the wounded sustained stab wounds and the others had been shot.

Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh said that the shooting was believed to be a terrorist attack.

"Organizations, primarily Islamic extremist organisations, are planning to hit Israeli targets outside [Israel]. And an airport is a preferred target," he told Army Radio. "We believe we are talking about a terrorist attack."

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said that Israeli and American forces would hunt down those behind the attack.

The flight due to take off was LY 106 to Tel Aviv. The flight was scheduled to stop over in Toronto and was due to land in Israel on Friday at 4 P.M.

Some 90 passengers were at the counter at the time of the shooting.

A U.S. official said that two people were in custody, although they had not been formally detained. No further details were available.

A CNN reporter said that one person had been stabbed by an unknown assailant and that the extent of the injuries was unknown.

Initial reports said a man had walked up to the El Al ticket counter and fired a shot at a clerk, then opened fire on other people in the international terminal.

"The sound was distinctive, there were a lot of shots fired then silence and two more shots," a witness said.

"A lot of people thought it was fireworks and a prank," Thad Weimlein, a witness, told CNN. "It was probably eight to 10 shots. People were hitting the floor."

Army Radio quoted witnesses as saying that the shooting lasted for a total of 40-50 seconds.

CNN reported that FBI agents were on their way to the airport.

Other details of the shooting also were sketchy but at least five ambulances were at the airport, where planes continued to land and take off soon after the shooting.

Army Radio reported that reaching the ticket counter for Israel's national carrier was simple, and that there were no security checks beforehand.

The incident, which took place Thursday morning L.A. time, came amid heightened security around the United States as Americans celebrated the first Independence Day holiday since the September 11 suicide hijack attacks on New York and Washington.

[Semper Paratus]

This is Isreal's take on this. A lot of interesting details, stabbings, 2 people in custody.

[AZConcervative]

These idiots crack me up...Sending one guy into an LAX terminal shooting a gun? They really are stupid! In LA kids kill kids for their damn Nikes. "We have dirty bomb!" Translation: We have a jack-a#@ who hasn't showered in a month convinced that he will get 72 virgins if he blows himself up with this mixture of 409 and windex. It's time we all realize, these idiots' best shot was 9/11 and we basically took it on the chin and smiled back. They are like that little yap-yap dog that thinks he is all tough and barks at everyone, but when you go near it it runs behind its 95 year old geriatric mother. They have nothing left that won't cause their homeland to be turned to glass and they know it...Where is Osama now. Didn't his gay lover come out a few days ago and say Praise Allah, Osama is alive an will be heard from soon (as soon as he gets done removing all of that shrapnel from his a@@).

[Tacis]

I don't believe it. Any one familiar with El Al knows about the visible and undercover armed protection that the public area has, even at LAX. The airport could be a diversion. But, if the terrorists wwere interested in doing damage, they'd go to the Jewish neighborhoods, to the Jewish weddings or Jewish country clubs. There are far better targets in LA then the well armed and alert folks at El Al. My bet is a jilted lover or a fired employee is the shooter.

But, if it is a terrorist, the guy is sure making it toughg on the American-hating folks in the Senate. This is proof that we are at war and that Bush must be allowed to fight that war. He must be able to move things through Congress and appoint judges who are with us. The weasel Dasholes of the Senate must stand aside!

[jlogajan]

these idiots' best shot was 9/11

In some sense I agree that they had their best leverage then. Someone shooting up the lobby of the airport is probably acting on is own initiative after a delirious prayer session to Allah. But there are always vulnerabilities, so their ability to injure a lot of people at one time is not totally out of the question, nor will it ever be. Will they ever be able to completely cripple the US -- come on, be serious. :-)

[The Other Harry]

Initial reports said a man had walked up to the El Al ticket counter and fired a shot at a clerk, then opened fire on other people in the international terminal.

At which point, an El Al security guard, who had been on break, stepped out from a back room with a Heckler & Koch automatic pistol.

[John Jorsett]

Fox is reporting 3 dead, including the attacker.

[dr_who]

Clever terrorists. Drive the US over to the Israelis. Brilliant.

[Conservative til I die]

I think they want to go to a visible target plus combine America's association of terrorism with airplanes.

If this was some nut shooting some folks in a Jewish neighborhood, the White House would be getting the message out to the networks that this is "just an isolated incident by a disturbed man."

[Thinkin' Gal]

El Al counter in L.A. Airport

Perhaps the shooter is a dyslexic gang member. :-|

[Raymond Hendrix]

We should now expect searches before we are even allowed to drive or walk toward the terminal.

[dr_who]

Their best shot was also their worst mistake.

[Cindy]

JERUSALEM POST.com: "TWO DEAD IN SHOOTING AT LAX EL AL TICKET GATE"...UPDATED INFORMATION: "TWO IN CUSTODY FOR QUESTIONING IN LAX-IL AL SHOOTING" (July 4, 2002)

CLICK HERE to go to the JERUSALEM POST.com homepage for further updates and information regarding the SHOOTING AT LAX EL AL TICKET COUNTER.

[varon]

Byron Tucker, a spokesman for Governor Gray Davis, confirmed that an El Al security guard fatally shot the gunman.

Had this perhaps happened at another airliner counter guarded by regular LA cops I can envision a different ending. This El Al security guard did what was necessary and did it decisively. If it had been the LA cops or a rent-a-cop, they would have called out half the police force. Surrounded the terminal with armored vehicles and swat teams and half a dozen negotiators. Three days later they would have torched the concorse.

That's the difference between professionals and wanabees.

[wita]

I think that is exactly what we are going to end up with, unless there begins to be some serious effort put into the security situation instead of what now passes for security. With the recent federalization of "airport security workers", (an oxymoron if ever there was one) things are headed in the opposite direction from where I think they ought to be, but what the H E double L do I know.

[robert0122]

If it had been the LA cops or a rent-a-cop, they would have called out half the police force. Surrounded the terminal with armored vehicles and swat teams and half a dozen negotiators.

If it was Manhattan, they would have then waited until a couple of women tackled him and then went in.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Fox is reporting 3 dead, including the attacker.

Plus 6 or 7 injured.

[John Jorsett]

Thank God. Gray Davis is on the job. I feel safer already.

[tet68]

And here I thought that was a picture of the shooter.

[tet68]

Did you get a load of the list of folks waiting to get face time at the briefing, even a "Congresswoman"?

[monkeywrench]

"A U.S. official said that two people were in custody, although they had not been formally detained. No further details were available. A CNN reporter said that one person had been stabbed by an unknown assailant and that the extent of the injuries was unknown."

They sent in more than 1 person, apparently.