MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - A video posted to Twitter shows a disruption on an American Airlines flight that ended with a passenger being arrested.
According to passengers, the suspect, identified by police as 28-year-old Jacob Garcia of Chicago, started arguing with other people on board the plane and ended up getting in a fight with Miami-Dade Police.
American Airlines employees reportedly told police that the incident started when Garcia touched another female passenger without her permission. According to the police report, after airline employees attempted to move his seat, Garcia then started hurling insults at the woman and her boyfriend.
Following protocol, the airline then started to deplane all passengers on board. Officers then stepped in because, they said, Garcia was now involved in a fight.
Police said Garcia became combative and resisted, even wrapped his legs around the seat, which prompted officers to pull him forward and carry him.
At one point, officers used a Taser on Garcia multiple times before he was forcibly removed from the plane. Passengers even cheered when he was removed.
WARNING: The video contains language.
The plane, which was headed from Miami to Chicago, was still at the gate.
American Airlines released a statement that read in part, “The instigating passenger was asked by our Miami team members to deplane and he refused. In accordance with our procedures, American began the process of deplaning the entire aircraft.”
A little excitement caused delay.. Miami PD had to TASE & forcibly remove this asshole from my flight home 😳 pic.twitter.com/GhihpmcCiJ
— kaitlin waters (@kaitlinwaterss) April 23, 2018
The other passengers were eventually allowed back on and the plane left about an hour after its scheduled departure.
According to police, as they were continuing to escort Garcia out of the terminal, they said he reached for an officer’s gun and actually grabbed it but that officer was able to get his hand off of the weapon.
Garcia now faces multiple charges, including battery, disorderly conduct, resisting without violence, criminal mischief and depriving an officer of a means of communication.
Garcia was held on a $6,000 bond. Court records show this wasn’t his first run-in with the law.
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