Terrifying moment traveler threatens to kill those on LA to Boston jet

Terrifying moment United passenger threatens mass-murder, before trying to stab flight attendant in neck with broken spoon and attempting to open emergency exit in mid-air

• Francisco Severo Torres, 33, was charged with interference with flight crew members and using a dangerous weapon 
• He was flying from LA to Boston on Sunday when he was seen fiddling with an emergency exit door
• Confronted by a flight attendant, he attempted to attack them with a broken spoon but was restrained by the crew and other passengers 

Terrifying footage has been released of the moment a passenger on a United Airlines flight from LA to Boston went berserk and threatened to ‘kill every man on this plane’.

Francisco Severo Torres, 33, from Leominster, Massachusetts was charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members using a dangerous weapon after he stabbed a flight attendant with a broken spoon.

In video shot by a fellow passenger sitting only feet away, Torres can be heard threatening to commit mass murder while goading others to try and stop him.

Torres could be seen standing up in his seat while shouting at those seated around him. 

Then, video sees Torres get out of his seat and make a threatening gesture with his arms to create an invisible rifle. 

Francisco Severo Torres, 33, from Leominster, Massachusetts, could be seen ranting and raving while in his emergency exit seat during a United flight from Los Angeles to Boston

A photo taken by another person on board shows six people in the galley of the plane attempting to restrain Torres as the aircraft came into land

United Airlines Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston landed safely on Sunday, and Torres was detained

Passengers watching him could be heard exclaiming ‘oh God’ as they witnessed Torres’ antics.

He then approached two flight attendants standing in the aisle, and used the spoon to make stabbing motions, hitting a flight attendant three times in the neck area.

He was restrained by other passengers who rush forward from the rear of the plane and other flight attendants. 

While the nightmare drama was unfolding in the cabin, upfront on the flightdeck, the captain of the flight radioed air traffic control to tell them Torres had been detained by passengers but was ‘not going quietly’, and had six people restraining him as the plane came down to land. 

A photo taken by another person on board shows six people in the galley of the plane attempting to restrain Torres as the aircraft descended.

Torres had boarded United Airlines Flight 2609 on Sunday in Los Angeles, bound for Boston.

He had remained quiet for the majority of the flight when just 45 minutes before landing, a member of the cabin crew noticed how an emergency exit had been tampered with.  

A United Airlines plane is seen taking off in this file photo from earlier this year

A flight attendant saw that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position about a quarter of the way toward the unlocked position.

The emergency slide arming lever had also been moved to the disarmed position, authorities said.  The crew secured the door and slide.

Another flight attendant had noticed that Torres was seen near the door and believed he had tampered with it. The crew told the captain that he was a threat and the plane should land as soon as possible.

The captain told air traffic control that they had had an incident.

‘The person is detained, attempted opening of an external emergency door,’ he said, in audio obtained by CBS Boston.

‘That person was subdued and is being detained right now – however, he’s not going quietly: he’s just laying there with six able bodies on top of him.’

https://youtube.com/watch?v=x66I6jhBYW4%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26hl%3Den-US

United praised the quick-thinking of the crew and passengers. 

‘Thanks to the quick action of our crew and customers, one customer was restrained after becoming a security concern on a flight from Los Angeles to Boston,’ United said in a statement. 

‘The flight landed safely and was met by law enforcement. No serious injuries were reported.’ 

The airline said that Torres was immediately banned from flying on their flights.

‘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.’

One passenger told investigators that Torres had asked where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located during the flight attendants’ pre-takeoff safety briefing.

Another said Torres was seen pacing the plane before attacking the attendant. 

The charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

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