Passengers Take Down Man Who Threatened Delta Flight

An off-duty pilot helped subdue a passenger who appeared to be having a mental health crisis
By Liz MacGahan,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 12, 2021 11:44 AM CDT
Delta Passenger Allegedly Made Terroristic Threats
A file photo of a Delta Air Lines aircraft.   (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

A planeload of people bound for Atlanta from Los Angeles had to take an unexpected detour to Oklahoma City, in the latest in a wave of in-flight violent incidents. A man on Delta Flight 1730 freaked out, made terroristic threats, and attacked a couple of flight attendants, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Another passenger tweeted that the man attempted to open the cockpit door, but authorities say that's not the case. An off-duty pilot helped subdue the unruly passenger, ABC News reports. Oklahoma City police, who have a suspect, Stephon Jamar Duncan, in custody, say the man was threatening to take the plane down.

After the plane made an emergency landing Friday evening, the suspect was taken off the plane by authorities, and the plane was searched. No problems were found with the plane, and no passengers were injured. Police say Duncan was showing signs of mental health problems. "Thanks to the crew and passengers of Delta Flight 1730 (LAX to ATL) who assisted in detaining an unruly passenger as the flight diverted to Oklahoma City (OKC)," Delta said in a statement. Duncan is a Delta employee, ABC 7 News reports.
(More air travel stories.)

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