US Passenger Tries to Stab Flight Attendant with Broken Metal Spoon, Open Emergency Door

A US passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston caused disruption mid-flight after attempting to open the plane’s emergency exit and then trying to attack one of the attendants with a broken metal spoon.

Francisco Severo Torres, 33, was subsequently tackled by other passengers on board before he could cause any further harm and arrested once they arrived at their destination in Boston Logan International Airport, Massachusetts. Torres is now facing charges for interference with flight crew members and attempted use of a dangerous weapon during his attempt.

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A pending hearing is set for March 9, Thursday regarding the incident.

According to a police statement, a flight attendant believed he saw Torres tampering with the emergency door. They discovered that the locking handle had been pushed out of its fully locked position, and an emergency slide arming lever had been disengaged.

When posed a potentially life-threatening risk, and prompted the flight attendant to notify the captain to land as soon as possible. Torres became agitated and began approaching two attendants standing in the aisle – mouthing incoherent words.

Torres was holding a “shiny object” that would later be revealed as the handle of a metal spoon he had broken in half in the airplane bathroom. The situation escalated quickly when he thrust the handle toward one of the flight attendants in a “stabbing motion” and three times hit him on the shirt collar and tie.

Other passengers jumped into action and tackled him to prevent any further disruption or harm to any of the crew members or other passengers. A statement was revealed that Torres had gotten the idea to open the emergency exit door and jump out of the plane.

Torres stated that he tried to defend himself by attempting to stab a flight attendant, as he thought they were trying to kill him.

A mental health case?

Torres experienced a terrible ordeal in April 2015, when he was admitted to the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital under a court order for a psychiatric evaluation against his will. He filed a lawsuit four years later, claiming that the hospital had misdiagnosed his severe spinal pain from a car accident as a mental disorder. Unfortunately, his case was dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction and failure to state a claim.

“Zero tolerance for violence”

United Airlines stated that Torres is banned from flying on future flights following this incident.

“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, and this customer will be banned from flying on United pending an investigation. We are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation,” United added.