LAX Shooter Identified, “Wanted To Kill TSA And Pigs”

Contrary to initial reports that the shooter was an off-duty NSA agent, subsequent updates have revealed that the LAX shooter, who reportedly is still dead, although unclear if he was killed before or after he was in police custody, as Paul Anthony Ciancia, a 23-year-old who was either a Los Angeles native, or from Pennsville, N.J. Additionally, we have learned that according to a law enforcement official, who was briefed at LAX on the investigation but not authorized to speak publicly, said the gunman was wearing fatigues and carrying a bag containing a hand-written note that said he “wanted to kill TSA and pigs.” The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. Considering the accuracy with which this news event has been broken, most of it relying on unsubstantiated and often times fake Twitter sources (some had reported earlier, falsely, that the former NSA chief had been shot as well), we won’t be surprised if this story were to change a few more times.

From My Fox LA:

A law enforcement official told the The Associated Press that the suspect in the Los Angeles airport shooting is a 23-year-old man from New Jersey who wrote a rant about killing Transportation Safety Administration workers.

A law enforcement official, who was briefed at LAX on the investigation but not authorized to speak publicly, said the gunman was wearing fatigues and carrying a bag containing a hand-written note that said he “wanted to kill TSA and pigs.” The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

The official identified him as Paul Ciancia. A second law enforcement official confirmed the identity, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The gunfire erupted around 9:30 a.m. inside the terminal that houses airlines such as Allegiant Air, Frontier, Spirit, Virgin America and JetBlue. Patrick Gannon, chief of the Airport Police Department, said the suspect walked into the airport, pulled an assault rifle out of a bag and started shooting.

“He proceeded up into the screening area where TSA screeners are and continued shooting,” Gannon said, adding that the gunman “went past the screeners and back into the terminal itself.”

Gannon said police pursued the gunman, who was shot and taken into custody inside the terminal. The gunman’s condition was not immediately known.

Interim Los Angeles Fire Chief Jim Featherstone said paramedics treated seven people at the airport, and six were taken to area hospitals. One person apparently declined to be transported, fire officials said.

Officials at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center said it was treating three male patients, one in critical condition and two in fair condition. At least two other patients were believed to be at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, but their conditions were not immediately known. News media outlets reported that one patient who was taken to Harbor UCLA had died.

Multiple media outlets, citing unnamed sources, reported that one TSA agent was killed in the gunfire, but police would not confirm the reports.

The gunman was described by some witnesses as a young white male. Police and fire officials said they could not confirm reports that the gunman was an off-duty TSA agent.

Some initial reports indicated that a second suspect had been arrested, but Gannon said, “This was a lone shooter,” and the gunman “was the only person that was armed in this incident.”

David Bowdich, FBI special agent in charge, declined to provide any details of the investigation, but said, “At this point, we do not see any additional threats here at the airport.”

Aside from the alleged note, the shooter’s motives are unclear as of yet.

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Update: that was quick – one has to love the social media.