AVIATION

24 January 2024: En route from Seattle to Las Vegas

A man was arrested and is facing federal criminal charges after allegedly attacking another passenger on a flight to Las Vegas in January. Julio Lopez was taken into custody following the incident during a Jan. 24 Alaska Airlines flight headed from Seattle to Las Vegas. He now faces one count of assault with a dangerous weapon after investigators found a bundle of pens and rubber bands, according to court documents. The FBI has accused Lopez of trying to stab another passenger in the eye after he “began punching and hitting the victim” who was sitting across the aisle from him following a trip to the restroom. The victim’s wife and another passenger yelled at Lopez to stop. That same passenger also reported seeing “blood everywhere” and noted that a “pen and tape bundle” dropped during the incident. Lopez is also accused of hitting the victim’s wife as she shielded her 7-year-old son during the attack. After the attack, Lopez allegedly screamed that he would “only talk to the FBI.” As he moved up the aisle of the aircraft, a law enforcement officer ordered him to sit down in an empty seat. The flight crew then “worked to provide flex cuffs and the defendant was restrained for the remainder of the flight,” per the docs. “The incident happened as the aircraft was on descent for arrival in Las Vegas. The aircraft landed safely, and law enforcement took one passenger into custody after the plane arrived at the gate,” a statement released by the airline says. “We’re thankful to our crew for their professionalism in the handling of the incident.”