A person tried to open an emergency exit door and stab a flight attendant with a damaged spoon on a Los Angeles-to-Boston flight Sunday, prosecutors mentioned.
Francisco Severo Torres, 33, was arrested Sunday at Boston Logan Worldwide Airport, the Division of Justice mentioned in a press release Monday.
Torres, of Leominster, Mass., was charged with one rely of interference and tried interference with flight crew members and attendants utilizing a harmful weapon.
The alleged incident befell on United Airline Flight 2609, which left Sunday morning from Los Angeles Worldwide Airport.
About 45 minutes earlier than touchdown in Boston, flight crew have been notified that one of many aircraft’s door was disarmed, based on a grievance filed in federal court docket in Massachusetts on Monday.
The starboard facet door’s locking deal with had been moved out of the locked place, and an emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the “disarmed” place, based on prosecutors.
Torres was seen across the door, prosecutors mentioned, and a flight attendant confronted him. Torres requested the flight attendant if a digicam had captured him tampering with the door, based on the grievance.
Then, Torres received out of his seat, and “thrust in direction of one of many flight attendants in a stabbing movement.” He hit the attendant on the neck 3 times, prosecutors mentioned.
Passengers tackled Torres and helped restrain him. “Torres was instantly taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston,” prosecutors mentioned.
In an interview with police, Torres mentioned he went into the toilet and broke a spoon in half to make a weapon, based on the grievance. He additionally mentioned that he disarmed the door.
He informed police he had the concept of leaping out of the aircraft and acknowledged that many individuals would die if he opened the aircraft door, based on the grievance.
A message left for Torres’ public defender wasn’t instantly returned.
United, in a press release Monday, praised the “fast motion of our crew and clients” and mentioned the corporate was working with legislation enforcement.
“No critical accidents have been reported,” the assertion learn. “Now we have zero tolerance for any sort of violence on our flights, and this buyer will probably be banned from flying on United pending an investigation.”
