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Egyptian Gunman Attacks El Al at LA Airport, Kills 2

(CNN/LA Times) - A gunman opened fire at the El Al Israel Airlines ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday, killing two and wounding four others before an airline security officer shot him dead. Authorities identified the gunman as 41-year-old Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, who came to the U.S. from Egypt in 1992 and was living in Irvine, California. Hadayet is not a U.S. citizen. When police arrived at his apartment, they found a note on the door saying, "Read the Koran." Witnesses said the gunman appeared to grow agitated while talking to 20-year-old El Al ticket agent Vicky Chen. He pulled out a gun and shot her, then began firing at people in line. "The El Al guys came over the top of the counter" and tackled the shooter, witnesses reported. According to Israel's consul general in Los Angeles, Yuval Rotem, El Al security chief Haim Sapir is "a hero. He and his colleagues were able to save many passengers." Richard Garcia, head of the FBI's Los Angeles office, also credited the quick response by the security personnel with preventing further injuries. The second victim was Jacob Aminov, 46, an Israeli father of 8 who lives in the Los Angeles area, who was dropping off a friend at the airport. Four others were injured, including Canadian Sarah Phillips, 61, a man who was pistol-whipped by the gunman, and the El Al security chief who was stabbed in the back.
2002-07-04 00:00:00
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