Man arrested after allegedly trying to open emergency door on plane and stabbing flight attendant
CNN
–
A Massachusetts man was arrested Monday for allegedly stabbing a flight attendant three times in the neck with a broken metal spoon during a flight from Los Angeles to Boston, an emergency exit door, according to the Justice Department. After trying to open, according to the Justice Department.
Francisco Severo Torres, 33, faces one count of interference and attempting to interfere with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. Torres was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport on Monday and will remain in custody pending a hearing on Thursday.
During a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston, the flight crew noticed an alarm that one of the plane’s doors had been locked and, upon inspection, a flight attendant noticed that the door’s locking handle was out of the fully locked position. was pushed and the emergency slide arming lever was disarmed, according to a Justice Department statement.
A flight attendant who saw Torres near the door went to talk to Torres about the door, who asked if there were cameras showing him tampering with the door, according to the department.
“According to court documents, the flight attendant then informed the captain that they believed Torres was a danger to the plane and that the captain needed to land the plane as soon as possible,” the Justice Department said. said
Immediately afterward, Torres allegedly jumped out of his seat, uttering something like, “a flight attendant in a motion to stab the flight attendant three times in the neck area with a broken metal spoon,” the department said. before pushing on,” the department said.
Torres was then tackled by other passengers on the flight and taken into custody immediately after the flight landed.
According to a criminal complaint, Torres told investigators he broke a spoon in the bathroom half of the plane to use as a weapon. He also told law enforcement officials that he tried to open the emergency door and had “got the idea” to jump from the plane, according to the complaint.
Torres told investigators he was trying to defend himself and tried to stab the flight attendant because he believed they were trying to kill him, the complaint said.
The flight attendant realized Torres was holding the object in her hand “struck her on her shirt collar and tied three times,” according to the complaint.
United Airlines says it has banned Torres from flying on future flights after the incident.
“Thanks to the prompt action of our crew and customers, one customer was held after becoming a security concern on United flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston,” United said in a statement.
United says the flight was able to land safely and without injury.
“We have zero tolerance for any form of violence on our flights, and this customer will be banned from flying on United pending an investigation. We are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation,” The statement said.
