A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty to a terrifying midair attack in which he tried to force open the plane’s emergency exit door while threatening to kill everyone onboard — and even tried to stab a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon.
Francisco Severo Torres, 34, was tackled by fellow passengers when he freaked out on a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston in March 2023.
He threatened to “kill every man on this plane” before attacking the flight attendant in the neck with the silverware, federal prosecutors said.
Torres admitted to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon, the office of Massachusetts US Attorney Leah Foley announced on Tuesday.
Sentencing is set for July 17, where he faces up to life in prison.
About 45 minutes into the flight, an alarm went off in the cockpit after a flight attendant noticed that someone had tampered with the emergency door between first class and coach.
Torres was confronted and then asked if he had been caught on camera messing with the door handle.
The crew deemed Torres a potential threat and requested the captain land as soon as possible. Moments later, Torres got out of his seat and made his way to the door again.
Wild video taken by another passenger shows Torres appearing distressed and going on a largely incoherent rant — claiming he was “taking over this plane” and that he would “kill every man on this plane.”
Torres then lunged toward a flight attendant with a broken spoon while making a stabbing motion — hitting the victim three times around the neck, federal prosecutors said.
Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of flight crew. He was taken into custody when the plane landed at Logan Airport.
Torres told police he wanted to open the door to jump out of the plane — and said he knew many people would die if he did, according to charging documents.
In July 2023, a judge initially found Torres mentally unfit for trial and needed additional treatment after making several bizarre comments in court.
Witnesses told investigators that Torres declared at a barber shop a week before the incident that he was half angel and half devil, according to NBC Boston.
He was later indicted by a federal grand jury in Sept. 2023.
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