LAX Shooting

- "Travelers shaken up and stranded as LAX is thrown into turmoil"
- November 1, 2013
- http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-lax-shooting-scene-20131102,0,3080177.story#axzz2jSGtO43h

The idea of a shooting has become a common occurrence now a days. It has come to a point that hearing about a shooting is no longer surprising. That alone, is a problem in and of itself.
As unshocking hearing about shootings has become, to some degree is scars one to hear about it happening. On November 1st, the terminals of LAX were shaken with a shooting. Hundreds ran for their lives. Leaving behind wallets, luggage, and their travel plans. Once the shooter was controlled passengers continued to wait for the terminals to reopen. They roamed the roads of the airport, looking for a way out. The flights that were coming into the airport were diverted to other airports, flights living were canceled or delayed until further notice. As the hours wore on, these stranded passengers left to nearby hotels and restaurants. Those who did not know what was going on parked their cars in nearby lots and made their way to the airport by foot.
Sepulveda  blvd was eerily empty. The bumper to bumper traffic was replaced with travelers lugging their luggage down the street. One women compared that moment to a scene at the ending of a disaster movie, an analogy that is quite accurate. Many shared their scary experience with the news crews. A couple coming to visit family with their one year old son were forced to wait in the plane for four hours, the flight was delayed; had it been on time they would be in the middle of the shooting with their baby. Another man was at the airport waiting for his elderly mom, who does not speak English; he had not heard from her and did not know her where abouts during the shooting. As most worried and stressed over their canceled plans and missing loved ones, others stood grateful for having not been in the area during the shooting.
Shootings such as this not only affect the victims there at that moment, but also affects the people around the area as well as the loved ones. Situations like this are scary and unimaginable to be a part of. If only there were ways to prevent shootings.