What to Know
- A passenger onboard an American Airlines flight leaving Miami for Chicago on Sunday was arrested after the alleged assault.
- The passenger who those onboard said instigated the incident was asked to leave but refused.
- Two men began a physical altercation and one was “combative” with Miami-Dade Police Department officers who came onto the plane.
A passenger onboard an American Airlines flight leaving Miami for Chicago on Sunday was arrested after he allegedly fought with another passenger before resisting arrest by several police officers.
The airline sent a statement saying that the flight, scheduled to leave at 9:30 p.m., was delayed when two passengers began arguing while the plane was still at the gate. The passenger who those onboard said instigated the incident, identified as 28-year-old Jacob Garcia, was asked to leave but refused.
Miami-Dade police said the incident started when Garcia allegedly grabbed a female passenger without her permission and began arguing with the woman's boyfriend.
When officials began deplaning all passengers, Garcia got into a physical altercation with another passenger and was “combative” with Miami-Dade police officers who came onto the plane.
Officers deployed their Tasers and eventually were able to get Garcia off the plane. Once off the aircraft, Garcia allegedly grabbed the handgun of an officer before he hand was knocked away and attempted to kick out the window of a police vehicle.
Garcia was later taken into custody and placed under arrest, charged with five counts including battery, resisting arrest and depriving an officer of their means of protection.
Garcia is being held on a $9,000 bond pending his first hearing. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could answer to the charges.
Local
Video taken of the incident shows a man continuously asking why he is being removed from the plane, even after being stunned with a Taser. Police confirmed to NBC News that a Taser was used.
The plane eventually took off just over an hour after its scheduled time.
