Francisco Severo Torres is behind bars and now faces federal charges after he allegedly attacked a flight attendant and attempted to open an emergency door on a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston last weekend.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office for Massachusetts, on March 5 crew members were alerted 45 minutes before Flight 2609 was due to land in Boston that the starboard side door was disarmed. A flight attendant noticed that the door handle was moved to unlock position.
The attendant that secured the handle notified the other crew members, and another attendant stated that she noticed Torres by the door earlier.
“A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door, to which he allegedly responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so,” the prosecutor’s office said.
The captain was then notified that Torres might be a possible threat and he should land the plane as soon as possible after the aggressive response. A passenger started to record the incident with their cellphone, and it showed Torres getting up to speak to other passengers.
“So, where is the Homeland Security with a gun? I am waiting for them to point the gun at me so I can show everybody I won’t die and I can take every bullet in that clip to wherever in my body that they shoot it,” said Torres. “I will kill every man on this plane.”
He continued to ask, “Where is Homeland Security?”
Torres also threatened the other passengers on the flight and repeated things like “it is going to be a bloodbath.” He then exited his seat and appeared to be holding a spoon.
“Torres then allegedly thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times,” the prosecutor’s office said.
He made his way toward the side door again but was quickly grabbed and restrained by the flight crew with the help of other passengers.
Torres told investigators after the plane landed that he broke off a piece of a metal spoon in the bathroom before he attempted to open the door and tried to jump off the plane. He also said that he knew people would die if he were able to open the door.
“Thanks to the quick action of our crew and customers, one customer was restrained after becoming a security concern on United Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston,” the airline said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for any type of violence on our flights.”
United Airlines has banned Torres from their airline, but comments from social media suggested that he should be banned from all flights.
“Need to get congress to pass the bill allowing airlines to share list of people previously banned for disruptive or violent behavior. NONE of us are safe if a guy like this were to strike several vulnerable passengers. My heart goes out to the flight attendant, crew & passengers,” said one comment under the ABC News post.
Another comment said, “Thank God he did not have a gun.”
The flight attendant that Torres attacked did not speak with any media, only to authorities, and would like to remain anonymous. Torres was charged with a count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
