A man allegedly tried to tamper with a plane to Boston and stab a flight attendant

By Ayana Archie

Published March 7, 2023 at 12:08 AM CST

A United Airlines jetliner taxis to a runway for take off from Denver International Airport, Dec. 27, 2022.

Updated March 7, 2023 at 8:18 AM ET

A man was arrested Sunday in Massachusetts for allegedly attempting to stab a flight attendant with a spoon after trying to open the emergency exit on a trip to Boston, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts.

Francisco Severo Torres, 33, is being charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon.

Torres was onboard a flight from Los Angeles to Boston when, about 45 minutes before landing, the flight crew was alerted that a lock on a side door between the coach and first class sections had been partially moved from the locked to the unlocked position, and the lever securing the emergency slide had been disarmed. The flight crew reported the incident to the captain after securing the door and slide, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Another flight attendant later told the captain he saw Torres near the door and believed he had tampered with the securements and that the captain should land the aircraft, as Torres could be a risk to the flight, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

That flight attendant confronted Torres, who allegedly asked if there were cameras that could confirm the allegations. Shortly after, Torres allegedly approached two flight attendants who were standing near the side door and lunged at one of them, hitting them on the neck with a broken metal spoon three times, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Several passengers and members of the flight crew tackled Torres and detained him. He was arrested at the Boston Logan International Airport after the flight landed, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

In interviews with law enforcement, passengers said they witnessed Torres ask another passenger to point out on the safety card where the handle on the side door was located before the incident, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Torres's charges can carry up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Corrected: March 6, 2023 at 11:00 PM CST

An earlier version of this story, including its headline, said that the man allegedly stabbed a flight attendant. He allegedly lunged at and attempted to stab the flight attendant.