Airport Police Officer Fires at Men Fleeing in Car

A Burbank Airport police officer fired at a fleeing car outside the United Airlines terminal just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

There were no injuries reported in the incident, which began when clerks at a rental car agency dealing with a man at the counter called airport police for undisclosed reasons.

An officer responded and question the man, then the two stepped outside and a scuffle broke out, said airport spokesman Victor Gill. The man escaped into a nearby car with a waiting driver and sped away. The officer fired shots at them, he said.

Airport officials would not release further details of the incident or the identify the officer, and would say only that he has been employed there more than 10 years, spokesman Sean McCarthy said. Alamo employees confirmed that the incident began at their desk just inside the door of the terminal, but would not give details.

The airport authority has its own 19-member police force. Officers are sworn peace officers who receive the same training as municipal police officers and follow similar department policies, McCarthy said.