A neighborhood man accused of making an attempt to stab a flight attendant within the neck with a damaged steel spoon, and in addition making an attempt to open the airplane’s emergency exit door has pleaded responsible.
Francisco Torres, 34, of Leominster, has pleaded responsible to at least one depend of interference and tried interference with flight crew members and attendants utilizing a harmful weapon, in line with the Massachusetts U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace.
The incident on the United Airways flight from Los Angeles to Boston was again on March 5, 2023.
About 45 minutes earlier than the airplane was set to land, the flight crew obtained an alarm within the cockpit {that a} starboard aspect door situated between the primary class and coach sections of the plane was disarmed.
A flight attendant reported that he noticed Torres close to the door, and believed Torres had tampered with the door. A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door. He allegedly responded by asking if there have been cameras displaying that he had achieved so.
The flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a risk to the plane, and that the captain wanted to land the plane as quickly as doable.
Torres then allegedly obtained out of his seat and approached the starboard aspect door the place two flight attendants had been standing within the aisle. One of many flight attendants noticed Torres mouthing one thing that he couldn’t hear.
Video taken by a passenger depicts Torres yelling at factors that he would “kill every man on this plane” and “I’m taking over this plane.”
Torres then thrust towards one of many flight attendants in a stabbing movement with a damaged steel spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck space 3 times.
Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the help of flight crew. Torres was instantly taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston.
Throughout interviews, passengers reported that Torres requested a fellow passenger the place on the protection card it confirmed the place the door deal with was situated in the course of the flight attendants’ security briefing earlier than takeoff, and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley earlier than attacking the flight attendant.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 17.
The cost of interference and tried interference with flight crew members and attendants utilizing a harmful weapon can result in a sentence of as much as life in jail, as much as 5 years of supervised launch and a wonderful of as much as $250,000.
