News about the shooting at LAX is still pouring in but here’s what we know so far: A gunman fired shots at a TSA official at about 9:30 this morning. At least one person was injured but some reports say that multiple people were hit. Terminal 3 was evacuated after the shooting. Thousands of people feared for their lives.
Several passengers took to Twitter to provide updates from the scene. Bill Reiter, a national columnist with Fox Sports, was one of those people.
Reiter relays information about the going-ons inside of LAX but he also gives a peek into what it’s like to be in a frightening situation. Interspersed between his tweets about gunfire and hectic crowds are sweet messages to his family.
I was at the Virgin terminal at LAX when gunfire broke out. Many of us have run on the tarmac. I don’t know what’s happening but I’m fine.
— Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
When gunfire broke out there was a stampede people, all of us hiding under seats we didn’t fit under, we burst through the door to outside. — Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
An LAX employee just told me there was a shooting at the airport in the terminal. I asked if t/shooter was down he said he couldn’t tell me. — Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
That is a kind of fear unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. In those moments, it’s true, you think about your kids and your your wife — Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
Reiter goes on to detail the chaos following the shooting at LAX. He talks about the TSA employees who don’t know what’s going on. He talks about the passengers who are desperately looking for safety. And he demonstrates how false information can quickly spread via panicked mouths.
A witness saw shooting in ticketing area at LAX. Now hearing three or four gunman rushed area, but that’s unsubstantiated. — Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
The first thing I did hiding under that bench thinking I was going to die was callmy wife to tell her I loved her and our kids. What a day — Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
Not important other than to me but my flight delayed by several hours. Many of us shouldn’t have been there. — Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
And of course to all my friends and family, I love you all.
— Bill Reiter (@foxsportsreiter) November 1, 2013
Grant Imahara from The Mythbusters was also at LAX during the shooting. Imahara was in the Virgin Lounge when the gunman started shooting and had a vastly different experience compared to Reiter.
Something just happened at #LAX. TSA and police running everywhere.
— Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) November 1, 2013
I was in the Virgin lounge upstairs. Saw everyone pour out of the terminal onto the tarmac. Then I heard shots fired outside. — Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) November 1, 2013
Virgin promptly locked the lounge doors. About ten minutes later, LAPD armed with automatic weapons arrived to secure the area. — Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) November 1, 2013
Waiting to evacuate, watching TV to find more info.
— Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) November 1, 2013
But perhaps the panic at LAX can be summed up by this eerie tweet from Yan Rozovsky. LAX was still allowing planes to land at the airport shortly after the shooting and Rozovsky was on one of those plans. He also happened to be watching TV shortly before his plane touched down.
Landing at LaX on @VirginAmerica while seeing this pic.twitter.com/0bVPLjw86S
— Yan Rozovsky (@YanRozovsky) November 1, 2013
The Los Angeles Times reports that the shooter is now in custody. At least three people were wounded in the incident. Here’s a live video from CBS News.
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