Law Enforcement

LAX suspect charged with murder; FBI says he wanted to 'instill fear'
Federal prosecutors on Saturday filed a murder charge against the suspect in the shooting rampage at Los Angeles International Airport in which a Transportation Security Administration screener was killed. Other charges related to firing a weapon inside an international airport were also filed against 23-year-old Paul Anthony Ciancia, who was identified by police as the man who opened fire inside Terminal 3 about 9:20 a.m. Friday. At an FBI news briefing Saturday, officials confirmed that Ciancia used an assault rifle in the attack.
Los Angeles Times

LAX gunman told police he acted alone in shooting
The gunman charged in the deadly shooting at Los Angeles International Airport lay bloodied and handcuffed on the floor of Terminal 3 after being gunned down by police, but he replied to critical questions that helped authorities lock down the scene. Paul Ciancia, 23, was hauled away moments later on a stretcher and later heavily sedated for medical reasons, but not before he told investigators he had acted alone when he opened fire in the terminal, a law enforcement official who has been briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Associated Press

LAX shooting of TSA agent points up gaps in post-9/11 security
Despite a $1.6-billion investment in new security measures at LAX since 9/11, Friday's shooting by a gunman who made his way deep into a passenger terminal demonstrates that the airport remains vulnerable to attacks that appear costly and difficult to defend against. Lobbies, ticketing counters, baggage claim areas and sidewalks of the nine terminals at Los Angeles International Airport, the nation's third-busiest, are easily accessible to attackers intent on bringing firearms or bombs into the airport's public areas.
Los Angeles Times

TSA union calls for armed guards at every checkpoint
The union representing airport screeners for the Transportation Security Administration says Friday's fatal shooting of an agent at Los Angeles International Airport highlights the need for armed security officers at every airport checkpoint. "Every local airport has its own security arrangement with local police to some type of contract security force," said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents the screeners.
USA Today

A firsthand account of the chaotic aftermath of LAX shooting
If it had been a terrorist attack, the police officers, firefighters, and their vehicles would have made for a fat target for a follow-up attack.
Jack Dunphy/Pajamas Media

At least 25 arrested in Hollywood on Halloween
Dozens of revelers were arrested in Hollywood before the clock struck midnight on Halloween, police said. Between 25 and 30 people had been taken into custody by 10:30 p.m. Thursday, according to a watch commander with the Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Station. Most of the arrests were prompted by public intoxication, police said. Compared to typical Thursday nights in the same time period, LAPD said they usually make between five and 10 arrests. The incidents come as LAPD steps up patrols during the typically rowdy autumnal holiday.
NBC4

Two wounded in Westlake district laundromat shooting
A 22-year-old suspected gang member suffered a stomach wound in a shooting in a Westlake district laundromat tonight and a 71-year-old man was grazed by two rounds that ricocheted off the storefront's windows, police said today. The shooting happened at 10:20 p.m. Thursday at 1300 W. Seventh St., near the intersection of Witmer Street, Sgt. Melvin Gamble of the Los Angeles Police Department's Rampart Station said. A man in his 20s entered the store and appeared to target the victim, who was taken to County-USC Medical Center in critical condition, Gamble said.
NBC4

More police departments follow Mesa's lead with officer cameras
Whenever police respond to a call, there's a chance it's caught on video. More and more police departments now equip their officers with body cameras. ABC15 got a close-up look at these cameras Wednesday. They look like a flashlight attached to their glasses. But instead, they're small but powerful cameras. We found these cameras aren't just taping citizens -- they're capturing officers' actions too.
East Valley Tribune/Tempe, Arizona

City Government

New command center will protect L.A. infrastructure from cyberattacks
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has set up a new command center to minimize the threat that hackers, terrorists or foreign enemies will disrupt water, power, transportation and public safety systems. In an executive directive creating the Cyber Intrusion Command Center, Garcetti cited warnings from the Obama administration that computer attacks aimed at crucial infrastructure could cause panic and destruction and effectively paralyze the nation.
Los Angeles Times

L.A. Council demands solution to DWP billing issues
With the Department of Water and Power admitting to improper billing to thousands of customers as a new computerized billing system goes into operation, two Los Angeles city officials on Friday called for an explanation what is being done to resolve the problem. Councilmen Paul Krekorian and Felipe Fuentes said they wanted the utility to address the issues raised last week by the Daily News of improper billings as well as the time it takes to respond to customer calls.
Los Angeles Daily News