An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark made an unexpected stop in Baltimore late Thursday night due to a disruptive passenger, the Fort Worth-based airline confirmed Friday.
Witnesses who were on board the plane told CBS News New York the passenger's behavior was putting everyone at risk.
Juan Mejia, a retired law enforcement officer, and Richard Olenick say the chaos unfolded about two hours into the flight.
"Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos," Mejia said. "I turned around to look, and the poor gentleman that was sitting next to him in the aisle seat, the individual had his hands around his neck and was, like, assaulting him."
Mejia and Olenick, who were sitting two rows in front of the man, say they jumped in to help restrain him. Theu used zip ties provided by a flight attendant and also wrapped him with duct tape.
A passenger on a Sept. 3, 2026, flight to Newark Airport in New Jersey was so disruptive, he had to be duct-taped to his seat.
A photo shared by Olenick shows the man with multiple loops of tape around his wrists, torso and head, strapping him into his seat.
The witnesses said a flight attendant had attempted to calm the situation, but he allegedly called her a racial slur and made homophobic comments. They said he then became violent, which prompted the crew to restrain him and the flight to be diverted.
TMZ was the first to report this story.
After law enforcement took the man off the plane, the flight continued on to Newark.
"The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," American Airlines said in a statement.
In a statement to CBS News, the FBI said the passenger is in custody on state charges, but agents are investigating.
"The FBI is currently conducting interviews to gather the facts and will consult with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges will be filed," the statement said.
Authorities have not yet identified the suspect.
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