LOS ANGELES —Operations were back to normal at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday after a car crash and false alarms that evacuated terminals, stalled dozens of flights and panicked passengers already jittery after a recent shooting rampage.
An estimated 4,600 passengers were affected by the disruptions Friday night during one of the airport’s busiest holiday seasons, officials said.
The panic started when a woman driving on the airport’s arrivals loop had a medical emergency and lost control of her SUV, hitting a woman who was walking on a sidewalk before slamming into a parking garage across the roadway from Terminal 5, said Los Angeles police Sgt. Mark Guardado. Sounds from the crash spurred reports of gunfire among passengers inside the terminal, many of whom fled, said airport Police Chief Patrick Gannon.
In Terminal 4, airport police received an anonymous call after the crash reporting a gunman. About 2,000 people were evacuated, but no gunman was found. Associated Press
