Woman runs onto LAX tarmac, tells officers ‘she was trying to flag down the aircraft,’ police say

A woman who ran onto the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport was detained by police Monday night.

A Los Angeles Airport Police statement said the woman, who had a ticket, was in the airport’s terminal 1 when she opened a door, triggering an alarm and walked onto a ramp to the tarmac.

“Airline employees who witnessed the woman exiting the terminal followed security protocols and maintained visual contact until the airport police arrived shortly thereafter and detained the woman,” the statement said.

The woman, who has not been identified, told officers that “she was trying to flag down the aircraft,” the police statement said. The plane was parked at the gate.

Videos taken by a bystander appear to show the woman, who was carrying a black backpack and other items in her arm, apparently struggle with a man who was trying to direct her off the tarmac. She can be seen trying to get away from him while waving enthusiastically to several airline employees.

In another video, the woman is seen standing by an officer while her bag and belongings are searched.

The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries and a mental health evaluation, police said.

Police said the incident didn’t lead to any flight delays.