Three people wounded in Los Angeles airport shooting

She said the suspect exchanged fire with airport police. The airport was being swept for precautionary measures,and the bomb unit was on scene.

Airport staff evacuated travelers,and flights were disrupted nationwide.

Television images showed two people being wheeled away by firefighters.

Witness Brian Keech told The Associated Press he heard “about a dozen gunshots” from inside a security gate at the terminal.

The Federal Aviation Administration said a ”ground stop” was in effect for all flights heading to Los Angeles,meaning planes in any other airport in the country can’t take off for the city. Some flights already in the air were allowed to land.

LAX air traffic controller Michael Foote said some flights were still being allowed to depart.

Foote said his colleagues in the control tower saw passengers spilling from the terminal onto the tarmac,”evacuating the building,getting out as fast as they could.”

Other travelers described a chaotic scene as airport security staff evacuated terminals,including onto to the tarmac. Hundreds of people remained gathered outside next to airplanes.

“People started saying there’s a shooter,there’s a shooter,” said Natalie Morin,who was heading to San Francisco for a graduate school interview.

Terminal 3 is home to Virgin America and other airlines.