Paul Ciancia to plead guilty in 2013 slaying of TSA officer at LAX

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Friday, September 2, 2016
Paul Ciancia, who is accused of killing a TSA agent at LAX in 2013, is shown in an undated photo.
Paul Ciancia, who is accused of killing a TSA agent at LAX in 2013, is shown in an undated photo.
KABC

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Sun Valley man accused of killing a TSA screener and wounding three other people during a shooting in November 2013 has agreed to plead guilty, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Authorities said Paul Ciancia opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle inside Terminal 3 on Nov. 1, 2013 at Los Angeles International Airport. They said he was specifically targeting LAX officers as he shot his way through a security checkpoint and into the gate area.

In the plea agreement, Ciancia is expected to plead guilty to 11 counts against him, which include the murder of a federal officer, attempted murder of a federal officer, violence at an international airport, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence causing death and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

TSA Agent Gerardo Hernandez, 39, was killed. He was a father of two. TSA agents James Speer, 54, Tony Grigsby, 36 and Calabasas High School teacher Brian Ludmer, 29, were injured.

The agreement also states that the prosecution will not seek the death penalty for Ciancia.

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