A Massachusetts man was arrested after allegedly attempting to open an emergency door during a flight from LA to Boston, as well as attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck three times with a broken metal spoon.
Nightmare on flight as man tries to open emergency door and stab flight attendant
Passengers on a flight ultimately tackled and detained a man who had allegedly tried to open an emergency door, then attacked a flight attendant and tried to stab her in the neck three times with a broken metal spoon.
The disturbance began on a United Airlines flight from Angeles to Boston when flight attendants confronted a male passenger, identified as Francisco Severo Torres, 33, of Massachusetts, over allegedly tampering with an emergency exit door, CBS reported.
An alert indicated to the flight crew that a lock, located on a side door between the coach and first-class sections, had been partially moved from the locked to the unlocked position, as well as the lever securing the emergency slide had been disarmed.
Flight attendants then notified the plane’s captain of the disturbance, saying they needed to land as soon as possible because they believed Torres was a threat to the aircraft, according to federal prosecutors.
Shortly thereafter, Torres allegedly got out of his seat, ranting, then charged toward two of the flight attendants, who were standing near a side door, lunging at one of them, hitting the attendant on the neck with a broken metal spoon three times, , according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A video of the man’s erratic and violent behavior was captured on video and posted by ABC 7 Chicago.
Several passengers, as well as members of the flight crew, then tackled Torres and detained him.
After the flight landed at Boston Logan International Airport, law enforcement immediately arrested Torres.
Unruly passengers are continuing to be an issue on airline flights around the country, CNN noted.
Man facing life in prison after violent actions on airlines flight
Francisco Severo Torres, 33, faces one charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon, CNN reported.
The penalties for Torres’s charges carry steep penalties, the highest of which go up to life in prison. On the lower end, the penalties are up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, NPR reported.
