[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] - Video footage sees Francisco Severo Torres, 33, terrifying fellow passengers on a flight from LA to Boston before threatening to kill everyone on board
- He was charged with interference with flight crew members and using a dangerous weapon
- A flight attendant claimed to have seen Torres fiddling with an emergency exit door before he stood up and ranted at terrified passengers
- When confronted by an attendant, he attempted to attack them with a broken metal spoon but was restrained by the crew and other passengers
| A pack, not a herd. |
'Torres told investigators he went into the bathroom on the plane and broke a spoon in half to make a weapon. When he came out of the bathroom Torres went into the galley, disarmed the door, and tried to open it unsuccessfully … Torres admitted to knowing that if he opened the door many people would die,' according to a criminal complaint as seen by WCVB.
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.
| MSN suggests that he is mentally unstable: |
He has a history of outbursts and bizarre behavior, including a 2017 case in which Torres was accused of assaulting a family member while attempting to take a pair of car keys. Included in the associated case file was a rambling letter addressed to a Massachusetts judge in which Torres wrote about being watched and being the subject of false reports, time he spent on the streets of Los Angeles, his artwork and fear that a doctor was bribed to interfere with his wellbeing. The letter concluded with the accusation that a large part of his community "is keeping a secret."
"How do I get a restraining order against thousands of people?" the letter concluded. A handwritten comment pointing to that final question indicates it was a "rhetorical question."