Paul Anthony Ciancia: LAX Shooter Identified As Anti-Government 23-Year-Old
Paul Anthony Ciancia has been identified as the man who opened fire inside Los Angeles International Airport on Friday.
Ciancia is a 23 year old Los Angeles man who reportedly holds strong anti-government views.
Police said Paul Anthony Ciancia walked into the airport at 9:20 am and pulled an assault rifle from a bag, opening fire. At least six people were injured in the attack before police were able to confront Ciancia and shoot him. Reports also said a TSA agent was killed in the attack.
A law enforcement officials told reporters that CIancia was wearing fatigues and was found with a hand-written note that said he “wanted to kill TSA and pigs.”
The Los Angeles Police Department posted a message to its Facebook page about the LAX shooting.
“Today at 9:30 am a single shooter in LAX around terminal 3 area started shooting. Multiple victims were injuried. LAX PD engaged the suspect. Suspect was taken into custody. For precautionary reasons terminal 3 and surrounding areas will be swept.”
Tory Belleci of the Discovery Channel show Mythbusters was waiting to board a plane to Philadelphia when the shooting took place, and described a chaotic scene..
“I was in Terminal 3 when we heard the shots,” he told HuffPost. “At first it didn’t register. Then, everybody started panicking and running. We ran toward the terminal, but the gate was locked. We were trapped. It felt like an eternity.
“We heard the shots coming from the elevator. One person near me said the shooting happened in the common area.
“Finally, security opened the door and we ran out on the tarmac. And people were just running everywhere. It was crazy. People were looking for something solid to hide behind, something a bullet wouldn’t pass through.
Reports said LAX shooting suspect Paul Anthony Ciancia is a New Jersey native, but it’s unclear how long he has lived in Los Angeles for