Airplanes are grounded on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) after reports of gunfire in the airport terminal. (Photo : Getty Images/Robyn Beck)
While United States Homeland Security advises the public to speak up about suspicious activities, experts fear that uninvestigated false alarms could be doing more damage than good. Recently, sounds of gunshots heard at the Los Angeles International airport (LAX) caused mass panic. Travelers were spilling out onto airfields and authorities were forced to halt flights.
The latest incident is the third instance in a string of false alarms that have left many experts concerned that security officials are not doing enough for the public, NBC News reported. "It is understandable to see frightened travelers, seeking the fastest way out of an airport, would run through jetways," Director, RAND Homeland Security Center, Henry Willis told the news channel.
Willis pointed out that the validity of the threat must be discerned first. He said if such evacuations continue, the American public would be at a greater risk of becoming used to the lackluster response when a real threat occurs.
"Letting hundreds of people loose onto an active tarmac, and allow them to go on open roadways while traffic is still moving, is obscene," security consultant, Anthony Roman told the news channel. Roman further added that security personnel failed to provide enough direction and security to travelers.
"There's an awful lot to be learned and an awful lot that is going wrong, which is unforgivable given that we are a decade-plus past 9/11," Roman said. He added that there was clearly insufficient training and security protocols in place to handle a possible threat, should one arise in the future.
The incident at LAX was deemed as the "worst security disruption" in three years at the second busiest airport in the US, Reuters reported. The panic began when airport police received calls of gunshots heard at a gate terminal.
Despite airport police arriving at the terminal where shots were allegedly heard, no source for the gunshot noise was found. To date, the source of the noise has remained a mystery. "We are investigating it but we haven't been able to confirm any source of those noises," airport police spokesman Robert Pedregon told the news agency.
Initial investigations have not revealed suspicious activity or foul play. The false alarms come just two months after similar noises were heard at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
The following video captured the event :
