An American Airlines flight from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport was diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Thursday night after a first-class passenger allegedly launched into a racially and anti-gay slur-filled tirade and became violent toward a fellow traveler.
The passenger has been identified by the Daily Mail as Arthur Lundeen, a 67-year-old man from Arizona. According to reports, Lundeen allegedly struck his seatmate and smashed the man’s computer during the outburst.
Flight attendants restrained Lundeen using duct tape from an emergency repair kit after he became physically aggressive. TMZ, which first obtained video and photos of the incident, reported that three flight attendants were involved in subduing him.
American Airlines confirmed to the Daily Mail that the flight was diverted due to a “disruptive customer.” Lundeen was removed from the plane in Baltimore, and the flight continued on to Newark.
Juan Mejia, a retired police officer who was aboard the flight, described the sudden shift in the cabin’s atmosphere to CBS News.
“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.”
Lundeen was taken into custody on state charges. TMZ reported that federal charges could also follow from the FBI.
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