(HorizonPost.com) – The man who in January attacked another passenger aboard an Alaska Airlines flight to Las Vegas was charged in a Nevada federal court last Wednesday with assault with a dangerous weapon, CNN reported.
Julio Alvarez Lopez was charged in the US District Court of Nevada in connection to an incident aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 604 from Seattle to Las Vegas in the early morning of January 24 when he attacked a fellow passenger with a weapon fashioned from pens wrapped in rubber bands.
According to witnesses, late in the flight, Lopez had grown “fidgety” and eventually got up to use the bathroom. When he returned to his seat, Lopez attacked the man sitting across the aisle with his family, punching and striking him with his crude weapon. Lopez suddenly stopped, dropped his weapon, and began to wander down the aisle, shouting that he would only speak to the FBI.
NBC News reported that the victim, who was traveling with his wife and 7-year-old son, was a member of law enforcement. He instructed Lopez to take a seat. When Lopez complied, airline personnel subdued him for the remainder of the flight.
In a statement to NBC News, Alaska Airlines said the flight landed safely in Las Vegas where Lopez was taken into custody at the gate.
The victim’s wife was also injured while attempting to shield their son from Lopez’s attack.
Charging documents filed with the court included photos of the victim, identified only as C.R., showing cuts and bruises on his face.
According to a witness, who was seated next to Lopez during the flight, there was “blood everywhere.”
Lopez later told law enforcement that he never met the victim but believed that he was a member of the cartel sent to kill him. He also claimed that he had been chased by the mafia for months.
Lopez is expected to be arraigned on March 1.
In a statement to CNN, Alaska Airlines thanked the crew aboard Flight 604 for handling the incident with professionalism.
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