Monday, July 8, 2024 In a startling incident on Saturday, police officers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) responded to a security breach involving a shirtless man running across the tarmac. The individual, a passenger inside the terminal, had managed to breach security during what was described as a “mental health crisis.” The breach occurred around 6:00 AM between Terminal 4 and Terminal 5.
Video footage, believed to be captured by airport ground personnel, shows the man running near an American Airlines Airbus A321neo. As he noticed an officer pursuing him, he attempted to run faster towards a JetBlue Airways Airbus A321. An officer managed to catch up with the man, using a device to tackle him to the ground.
The suspect, initially lying on his back, quickly turned over and surrendered. Two additional officers arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, with a police vehicle also racing to the location. The man’s motive remains unclear, although some sources, including FL360Aero, suggest he may have missed his flight and decided to chase it down.
The reason for his lack of a shirt is also unknown. Airport officials are now investigating how the man was able to exit the terminal and access the tarmac so easily. Typically, ground workers use special proxies to enter terminal buildings, and all doors leading to jetways are secured, only opening during flight boarding.
According to FlightAware, the American A321neo that the man and officer passed had just been pus.