A passenger who allegedly punched a flight attendant in the back of the head during an American Airlines flight from Mexico to Los Angeles was taken into custody after the plane landed Wednesday, CBS Los Angeles reports.
The carrier said in a statement that the incident occurred on Flight 377 from San Jose del Cabo to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The FBI, which has been investigating the alleged attack on the flight since, said the man was detained on suspicion of interfering with a flight crew, a federal crime.
Video taken by a passenger shows a flight attendant standing in the aisle facing the back of the plane asking a passenger, “Are you threatening me? Are you threatening me?” Then he turns and walks towards the front of the plane.
At that point, a passenger is seen running up to him and punching him hard before going back to his seat.
A producer for CBS San Diego affiliate KFMB-TV, Malik Earnest, who was on board, cited “witnesses” who said fellow passengers helped “restrain” the suspect until the flight landed. Los Angeles airport police escorted him off the plane.
His identity was not immediately released.
American Airlines issued a statement saying the passenger “physically assaulted a flight attendant” and “will not be permitted to travel with us in the future.”
