Posted on 12/07/2005 1:57:21 PM PST by Graybeard58
MIAMI -- A passenger who claimed to have a bomb in a carry-on bag was shot and killed by a federal air marshal today on a jetway connected to an American Airlines plane that had arrived from Colombia, officials said.
Cable News Network reported the deceased is a 44-year-old U.S. citizen. A law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed shots were fired from the marshal's gun. The airline said the confrontation was on a jetway.
A second federal law enforcement official, who also spoke only on condition of anonymity because the investigation still was unfolding, said the incident followed a threatening comment made by a passenger. According to CNN, the passenger was moving aggressively through the cabin and had made the statement that he had a bomb in his carry-on bag.
A witness said the man frantically ran down the aisle and a woman with him said he was mentally ill.
Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Doyle said after the plane had parked at the gate, a passenger indicated there was a bomb in the bag. The passenger was confronted by air marshals but ran off the plane, Doyle said.
A team of air marshals pursued and ordered the passenger to get on the ground. The passenger did not comply and was shot when apparently reaching into the bag, Doyle said.
Passenger Mary Gardner told WTVJ in Miami that the man ran down the aisle from the rear of the plane. "He was frantic, his arms flailing in the air," she said. She said a woman followed, shouting, "My husband! My husband!"
Gardner said she heard the woman say her husband was bipolar and had not had his medication.
The plane, Flight 924, had just arrived from Medellin, Colombia, and was headed on to Orlando.
Airport and Miami-Dade County police officials said they had no immediate comment. American Airlines officials confirmed the shooting was on a jetway.
"All I know is that it was on the jet bridge, outside the aircraft," American spokesman Tim Wagner said. "I don't know yet if the passenger had been on the plane and was getting off, or was starting to board the aircraft."
Flight 924 arrived at Miami airport at 12:16 p.m. Eastern and was scheduled to depart at 2:18 p.m., Wagner said. He said the shooting happened shortly after 2 p.m., suggesting passengers may have already been preparing to depart for Orlando.
Martin Gonzalez, spokesman for Colombia's civil aviation agency, said the flight "left normally with no problems."
And in a worse case scenario this all could have been an act and then he would have had a real bomb.
Just float him across the canal...you know, IT FLOATS!
I don't see a single comment on the thread prior to your posting that can even remotely described as "rejoicing" over the death of this individual.
Perhaps you're off your meds.
You appear to be a vegetarian who has found himself in a sausage factory.
The mentally ill who refuse to take their meds -- or take too much.
Very common.
Very risky for someone with this history to fly these days.
I support 100% the action of the Air Marshall. I feel sorry for him that he killed someone --but that's what the Air Marshalls are supposed to do. Protect the lives of the passengers.
Wondering if the Air Marshalls on flights into and out of the country of Columbia are experienced -- I should think that might be the case.
Air Marshal Reserves Too Expensive: Congress
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1531114/posts
Good timing
The marshal has no way to tell whether the guy was crazy, or joking or serious. He also has no way of telling whether the wife was serious or whether she was trying to buy a terrorist accomplice some time.
The marshal did the right thing, the system worked, and he should be happy that he reacted so swiftly and precisely.
If the wife knew that he was off his meds and failed to contact security or medical professionals in order to avoid a situation just like this, she and her meds-refusing husband alone bear any responsibility for his death.
Was his name Muhommad?
I find yours even more disturbing, espicially when it is predicated by a falsehood. Only 7-10% of mentally ill patients have violent histories-most are intoverted, isolate, or are reponding therapeuticaly to medication. But that is never sexy enough for the news. We have a very skewed perception of this populace.
Either we are serious about airline security or we're not.
So the air marshall explained it to him.
If you want to take your chances that it's just the lack of medication then I pity you.
If only 7-10% are violent, they are still several times as violent as the sane.
Ain't that the key question? Odd that there is still no identity of the perp. What do you suppose the chances are that this is indeed an Islamic we're talking about?
He's been identified by every TV staion, what more do you want. He's hispanic. An American citizen. His first name is Rigoberto and I can't remember his last name.
Why? If I don't take my medicine, is my wife legally responsible for my conduct?
Don't have a TV here. Still, his race and citizenship do not answer the question. Remember Jose Padilla?
You have to get the award for the dumbest quote of the day.
I guess your parents are still responsible for everything you do too huh?
Is a wife her husband's keeper?<P
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