{"id":27812,"date":"2016-11-07T19:37:33","date_gmt":"2016-11-08T03:37:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=27812"},"modified":"2016-11-07T19:37:33","modified_gmt":"2016-11-08T03:37:33","slug":"killer-of-l-a-tsa-officer-in-2013-sentenced-to-life-plus-60-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=27812","title":{"rendered":"Killer of L.A. TSA Officer in 2013 Sentenced to Life Plus 60 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 LOS ANGELES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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A federal judge on Monday sentenced a Sun Valley, California man to life plus 60 years after he admitted murdering a \"U.S.Transportation Security Administration officer during a 2013 murder spree at Los Angeles International Airport, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paul Anthony Ciancia<\/strong>, 26, plead guilty to first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of TSA Officer Gerardo Hernandez on November 1, 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez also sentenced Ciancia for a host of other criminal charges, officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe crimes that led to today\u2019s sentence were vicious, horrific and senseless,\u201d said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. \u201cAfter planning a mass murder, this defendant murdered a highly respected law enforcement officer, seriously wounded two other federal officers and a civilian, and terrified hundreds of people who feared for their lives. Those who target law enforcement and our nation\u2019s critical infrastructure will be held accountable. As a result of today\u2019s sentence, Mr. Ciancia will never again have a chance to harm other innocent people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 According to court documents, in early 2013, Ciancia purchased a semiautomatic rifle, 500 rounds of ammunition and 10 magazines for the rifle. On the morning of November 1, 2013, Ciancia modified two pieces of luggage and zip-tied them together to conceal his loaded rifle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later that morning, Ciancia entered Terminal Three at LAX, removed the loaded rifle from his modified luggage and fired at and killed Officer Hernandez, who was checking passengers\u2019 travel documents as part of his duties as a TSA Officer. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ciancia admitted that he then went upstairs to a TSA checkpoint, where he fired his weapon at TSA Officers Tony Leroy Grigsby and James Maurice Speer, as well at a civilian, Brian Ludmer. These three victims sustained serious injuries and required surgery, but they survived the attack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe defendant will spend the rest of his life behind bars for targeting airport officers with premeditated murder, but a just sentence cannot replace the loss of Officer Hernandez, nor remove the suffering of his victims, and his victims’ families, friends and colleagues,\u201d said Deirdre Fike, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI\u2019s Los Angeles Field Office. \u201cThe collaborative efforts by first responders and investigators on the day of the shooting and thoughout this investigation are commendable and aided prosecutors in ensuring that Mr. Ciancia can never again pose a threat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Two\u00a0months ago, Ciancia pleaded guilty to one count of murder of a federal officer; two counts of attempted murder of a federal officer; four counts of violence at an international airport; one count of discharging of a firearm during a crime of violence causing death; and three counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.<\/span><\/p>\n