An unruly passenger was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday after he assaulted a flight attendant during a flight from Los Cabos International Airport in San José del Cabo, Mexico.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who took the investigation since the assault happened in the air, the man was detained after the flight landed on suspicion of interfering with a flight crew, which is a federal offense.
Video from inside the plane shows an American Airlines flight attendant walking away from the suspect, who runs up behind the victim and punches them in the back of the head before retreating to their seat.
A witness on the plane revealed that other passengers helped restrain the suspect until they landed at LAX.
Since the incident occurred in the air, LAX police are not involved in the investigation.
An FBI spokesperson said that a federal complaint could be filed against the suspect as soon as Wednesday morning, as they’re working to present the case to the United States Attorney General’s Office.
The suspects identity was not immediately available.
American Airlines issued a statement on the incident, which read:
“American Airlines flight 377 with service from San José del Cabo (SJD) to Los Angeles (LAX) was met by law enforcement upon arrival due to an unruly passenger who physically assaulted a flight attendant. The aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate where law enforcement removed the individual.
Acts of violence against our team members are not tolerated by American Airlines. The individual involved in this incident will never be allowed to travel with us in the future, and we will work closely with law enforcement in their investigation.
We thank our crew for their quick action and professionalism to ensure the safety of their fellow team members and customers on board. Our thoughts are with our injured flight attendant, and we are ensuring that they and their fellow crew members have the support they need at this time.”
