Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer Gerardo Hernandez was shot to death by 23-year-old gunman Paul Anthony Ciancia at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) around 9:20 a.m. on Friday.
According to U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte, Ciancia walked up to a TSA checkpoint in Terminal Three and pulled a “Smith & Wesson .223-caliber M&P15 assault rifle on Hernandez.”
Hernandez was then shot by Ciancia with multiple rounds. Following the shooting, Ciancia walked up an escalator then shortly returned to fire more rounds at Hernandez.
After Ciancia fired his last rounds at Hernandez, he proceeded through the terminal and shot two other uniformed officers and a civilian. Shortly after this, Ciancia was shot down by an airport police officer.
Carlmont student Toni Lupilin said, “Its scary that a civilian was so easily shot, the same thing could have easily happened here at the San Francisco International Airport.”
Ciancia was charged on Saturday with two felonies: attempted murder of a federal officer and commission of violence in an international airport.
Birotte said to media, “If found guilty, Ciancia would face life in prison with no chance of parole or, the death penalty. The death penalty will be deemed appropriate by the U.S attorney general.”
Carlmont student Sydney Carlier said, “He deserves to sit in prison for life, with no chance of parole.”
FBI Special Agent, David Bowdich told media that Ciancia is being treated in Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after being shot by an airport police officer. Bowdich said “He is unresponsive and, we are unable to interview him at this time.”
Federal law enforcement officials said Ciancia was found carrying a note that appeared to refer to the New World Order and anti-government claims.
Bowdich said, “The note indicated the suspect made a conscious decision to kill multiple TSA employees.”
Ciancia addressed TSA officers in the note and said, “I want to instill fear into their traitorous minds.” The note then ended with a slanderous reference to Janet Napolitano, the former head of the Department of Homeland Security.
TSA Administrator John Pistole said the shooting “was a significant event that will prompt a review of security protocol with partner agencies.”
Airport security is getting more strict every year in order to insure the safety of travelers. Although, it seems incidents like this are inevitable.
