Security officer killed in airport shooting

A man pulled a semi-automatic rifle from a bag and shot his way past a checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport yesterday, killing a security officer and wounding two other people in an attack that sent terrified travellers running for cover and disrupted US flights from coast to coast, authorities said.

The suspected gunman was wounded in a shoot-out with police and was taken into custody, said Los Angeles police Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger. A motive wasn’t immediately clear.

A Transportation Security Administration union official said the TSA officer was killed, citing local union officials. A law enforcement official said the shooting suspect is Paul Ciancia, 23, from New Jersey.