RANCHO CUCAMONGA – The man accused in a high profile shooting at the Los Angeles International Airport in November has been moved to the West Valley Detention Center in San Bernardino County.
Paul Ciancia, 23, who was charged with killing federal officer, Transportation Security Administration agent Gerardo Hernandez, pleaded not guilty to 11 federal counts, last Thursday in U.S. Court. Three of the 11 federal charges carry a potential death penalty.
Originally, Ciancia was treated at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center at UCLA after suffering injuries during the Nov. 1 attack at LAX Terminal 3. His indictment includes one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder when he reportedly opened fire.A status conference has been scheduled on Jan. 27 at a federal building in downtown Los Angeles and a tentative trial date has been set for Feb. 11, but there will likely be some expected delays.
Police said that Ciancia, who is a New Jersey native, stormed into Terminal 3 with an assault rifle, opened fire on Hernandez and wounded three others – two other TSA workers and a passenger.
According to reports, Ciancia had a handwritten note in his possession about killing TSA workers and was carrying dozens of rounds of ammunition.
Ciancia was also charged with performing an act of violence against Brian Donovan Ludmer, a teacher at Calabasas High School who was shot in the right leg, shattering his tibia and fibula, according to indictments that were filed.
Authorities said Ciancia used a Smith & Wesson 5.56 millimeter M&P15 semiautomatic rifle to “willfully, deliberately maliciously and with premeditation” kill Hernandez. According to the coroner’s report, Hernandez was shot 12 times — including six times in the lower back and buttocks — and died within two to five minutes.
Ciancia was also charged with attempted murder in the wounding of TSA officers Tony Leroy Grigsby and James Maurice Speer.
The charges that carry a possible death sentence include the murder of a federal officer, use of a firearm that led to the murder and act of violence in an international airport.
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