The Los Angeles Airport Police Department arrested a man dressed up as "Zorro" moments before false gunfire reports caused chaos among passengers at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Sunday evening, the KTLA 5 New reported. 

The incident triggered two flight cancellations, 27 flight diversions, and 281 flight delays. Traffic around the airport rapidly grew heavy. 

Responding to calls of a masked man in the arrival area of Terminal 7 around 8 p.m., police brought the man in for questioning, linking him to the influx of shooter calls borne out of loud noises inside LAX. The calls were later deemed to be unfounded, despite mass evacuations conducted throughout the airport.

Airport Police Department Assistant Chief Dave Maggard said that the police detained the masked man to investigate if his sword prop is real. "He was detained briefly last night...once we made the determination that the sword he had was plastic he was released."

With the masked man's identity withheld, the police found that he often works as "Zorro" on Hollywood Boulevard, and that he went to LAX to meet up with a passenger. Loud noises prompted active shooter reports to come in, although it remains unclear whether the masked man caused it.

Paula Leonhauser, a passenger at LAX, recalled her encounter with the masked man.  "I turned around and I saw a man in a Zorro costume...I don't know whether that is the person who they were frightened of, but what happened next was the police yelled ... at all of us to get down and get away."

Surveillance video reviews supported the police's confirmation on the absence of active gunfire, contrary to the reports. Airport officials are currently getting LAX back to normal operations, although traffic jams surroundings the area continue to be messy.