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American Morning
Gunman Who Killed Two at LAX Egyptian
Aired July 05, 2002 - 09:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up front this morning, authorities say that the gunman who killed two people at Los Angeles International Airport was an Egyptian who came to the United States in 1992. Hesham Mohamed Hadayet was killed by an El-Al Airlines security officer at the scene. Thousands of travelers were evacuated from the terminal after the attack.
David Mattingly has the latest, though, and he is standing by at that terminal where the shooting occurred yesterday -- David.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
LAX officials are promising a return to business as usual today, this as the investigation focuses on 41-year-old Hesham Mohamed Hadayet of Irvine, California.
Hes described as an Egyptian nationalist but living in the United States since 1992. He was a licensed limousine driver and father of five. Beyond that, everyone here is at a loss to explain why Hadayet ran at the Israeli El-Al ticket counter yesterday firing a gun and killing two, injuring four.
Police today are out in force to provide comfort to travelers as they go about their holiday plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN POMEROY, CHIEF, L.A. POLICE: We are going to have additional police officers very visible at this facility for the next few days, certainly through the weekend. I believe that every incoming passenger and every arriving passenger on an airplane will see an officer either from the LAPD or from the L.A. Department of Airport Police as they traverse this facility.
We want people to feel safe and to feel comfortable. We dont want to minimize this incident, but we have yet to connect it to a larger risk anywhere at this facility or anywhere else in southern California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: And as we speak, Leon, the predawn lines are forming here at LAX, passengers anxious to get on with their holiday travel plans. HARRIS: All right, David. If theyre anxious to get on, are they anxious about their security this morning? I would imagine that theyve all seen the news, if at least not last night, this morning before they all left their homes. What are you hearing from the folks who are there lined up?
MATTINGLY: Well, it does appear to be business as usual. There was a very powerful moment just a short time ago. We do have some video to show you. An airport employee laid some flowers and a card at the empty El-Al desk.
Other than that the passengers, some of them who were here yesterday, are saying today and telling me that theyre just ready to get going.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was a mess here yesterday. Nobody was telling anybody what was going on. It was just a big mob scene.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I dont have any concerns with flying. I think security is very good, and I think they did everything they had to. I dont have any concerns with it.
MATTINGLY: One note, one really noticeable change, Leon: a large number of uniformed LAPD officers -- theyre in the terminal. They are also in the gates so that you will see them coming and going from LAX today.
HARRIS: David, are they also are there also any more security officers out there on the streets, or actually in the parking areas as well?
MATTINGLY: I cant see the parking areas from where we are. On the street earlier, there were quite a few police cars along the curb.
Most of the uniformed presence is inside, as I said, just so people can see them as they come in and as they get off the plane. They will be there, everywhere that the travelers are today.
HARRIS: All right. Well, it is very early in the morning out there. Well have to see how things unfold for the day and see if folks do go ahead and try to stick it to the terrorists by continuing with their travel plans.
David Mattingly, thanks much. Take care.
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