Officials: Passenger killed after claiming to have bomb

[guiseppewv]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/07/airplane.gunshot/index.html


MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A federal air marshal shot and killed a 44-year-old U.S. citizen on a boarding bridge at Miami International Airport after he said he had a bomb, several sources familiar with the incident told CNN.

Flight 924 was in Miami on a stopover during a flight from Medellin, Colombia, to Orlando, Florida, when the man said there was a bomb in his carry-on luggage, a Department of Homeland Security official said.

He was confronted by a team of federal air marshals, who pursued the man down the boarding bridge and ordered him to get on the ground, the official said. ( Watch scene after the incident -- 1:31)

When the man appeared to reach into his baggage, at least one shot was fired by the marshals, wounding the man, the official said, adding that the marshals' actions were consistent with their training. Officials said later that the man had died of his injuries.

Upon investigation, there was no evidence that the man had a bomb, an official said.

This is the first time an air marshal has fired a weapon on or near an airplane, a federal official said.

Footage from the scene shows armed SWAT team members carrying rifles outside the aircraft, along with more than a dozen of police vehicles. Paramedics were standing on the stairway to the aircraft.

The Boeing 757, which can hold about 180 passengers, was due to take off for Orlando at 2:18 p.m. ET. It had arrived in Miami at 12:16 p.m. ET, according to the airline's Web site. No other flights at Miami International were disrupted Wednesday, an airport official said.

[renovation]

i do a lot of flying and i think its crazy they want to relax the code they have now to allow . you to bring on-board some items like screwdrivers and scissors . i rather spend a extra 15 mins to board a airplain then never be able to fly on one again :(

[gwilks98]

i do a lot of flying and i think its crazy they want to relax the code they have now to allow . you to bring on-board some items like screwdrivers and scissors . i rather spend a extra 15 mins to board a airplain then never be able to fly on one again :(

Not me. I think the security we have in place is overzealous, expensive and for the most part, pointless.
link (http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051207/NEWSREC010201/512070301/1014)

The Madrid train bombings proved that you can spend billions on securing your airlines and still have acts of terrorism that take countless lives. Securing things is a way of treating the symptoms instead of addressing the problem, IMHO.


Back to topic....
It is sad they shot the poor guy though if it's a matter of him being unbalanced. His wife's going to have a very hard Christmas.

[ShawnLee]

i do a lot of flying and i think its crazy they want to relax the code they have now to allow . you to bring on-board some items like screwdrivers and scissors . i rather spend a extra 15 mins to board a airplain then never be able to fly on one again :(I can do more harm with a ball point pen, or worse my fountain pen, than I can with a two-inch scissor. I don't think the changes are all that bad.

Getting back to Miami, what I've read suggests that this guy was mentally ill. It's just a sad story all around but I'm glad it was done.

[InfiniteNothing]

Edit: misread
Ignore me. I'll think up something clever in a sec.

Yup here it is: :stupid:

If you want to be safe from people with knives/screwdrivers/scissors, bring your own.

[bachviet]

I don't think anyone could hijack the lane with pocket knives or scissors because the passengers are just going to kick their a$$e$.

Anyway that's sad but it has to be done when someone yell "BOMB" on an airplane.

[InfiniteNothing]

What if killing the person triggers the bomb.

[Mommypooh]

dumba$$ He has issues.

[Grimm]

Darwin Award candidate?

[Sirrich3]

Guess its about time that we handle these issues. Guy must have issues.

[speedracer120]

Supposedly bi-polar and off his meds. Sad.

[chadlnc]

Not me. I think the security we have in place is overzealous, expensive and for the most part, pointless.

Not to mention just plain bad. I flew two weeks ago and forgot that I had my knife in my laptop backpack. I made it through security in Charlotte and Los Angeles without any problems.

[Airencracken]

What if killing the person triggers the bomb.

:stupid: Deadman switch.

[LegendKiller]

I had a nice Craftsman screwdriver in Stephs car trunk before I went to Vegas last. I took it out of the trunk and put it in my notebook bag. Of course, security saw it when I tried to get through going to Vegas. They confiscated the thing. I then got a lecture and was shown exactly what as permissable. Like I need a 45 year old security clerk to edumacate me. I simply forgot, crap happens.

Now, a 6' 2" uber-pale white guy loaded down with business equipment is going to do something in the air? Whatever....

The whole screening process is a PC BS procedure intended to make people feel safe rather than do anything productive.

[Merlin]

The Strengths of the U.S. Air Marshal Program

The White House on Dec. 8 defended the shooting death by U.S. air marshals of an airline passenger who claimed to have a bomb, but the incident is certain to further stir the debate about the presence of armed marshals on commercial flights. Despite criticism in some camps that the program is too dangerous and imposes on civil liberties, the deterrence factor cannot be underestimated. Tighter restrictions on the rules of engagement could impede the marshals' ability to act when an airplane -- and its passengers -- is threatened.

The victim in the Dec. 7 shooting, 44-year-old Rigoberto Alpizar, turned out to be unarmed, and his wife said he behaved erratically because he suffered from bipolar disorder. The marshals involved, meanwhile, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Alpizar, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Costa Rica, was shot and killed at Miami International Airport as he tried to escape through the jetway of American Airlines flight 924 before it departed Miami for Orlando, Fla. Alpizar, who had arrived on the flight from Medellin, Colombia, some two hours before, claimed to have a bomb in his carry-on bag and began running frantically down the aisle if the aircraft, followed closely by his wife and two air marshals. In the jetway, Alpizar reportedly reached into his bag and was shot after the marshals warned him to stop.

Under the air marshals' rules of engagement, the use of deadly force is authorized once an individual claims to have a bomb. During the rapidly developing incident, there was no way for the marshals to know whether Alpizar really had an explosive device or other weapon, or if he posed an actual threat to the aircraft, which had approximately 100 other passengers on board. Relying on their training, the marshals eliminated the perceived threat.

Because of the potential for a major loss of life, commercial airliners, both in flight and on the ground, are subject to a very high level of security -- with almost no room for error on the part of those responsible for providing that security. Part of this security is the presence of armed air marshals on international U.S. airline flights and on many long-distance domestic flights.

Even while in the jetway, an individual can still pose a significant threat to an aircraft and its passengers. Aircraft on the ground are inherently dangerous because of the volatile combination of aviation fuel, oxygen under pressure, and a large number of people packed into a cramped space with few exits.

The shooting was the first since the number of U.S. air marshals was increased on passenger aircraft following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Like the incident on the London Underground in July -- when British police shot and killed a man they believed was a suicide bomber -- the Dec. 7 shooting was conducted properly and fit established criteria for the justifiable use of lethal force.

Although White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Dec. 8 that the marshals "appear to have acted in a way that's consistent with the extensive training that they have received," the fact that an unarmed man was killed could stir further opposition to the air marshal program.

The presence of air marshals on commercial flights, however, provides an element of deterrence against hijackers or terrorists. Because they work undercover -- supposedly unbeknownst to the other passengers -- air marshals represent a variable that potential attackers cannot necessarily control when planning an operation against a plane. This is an additional layer of security, beyond the heightened security and scrutiny in airport terminals.

The Dec. 7 shooting did not bring down a hijacker or terrorist, but a mentally disturbed man. Should serious restrictions be placed on the country's air marshals, however, the next incident could end with a major loss of life.

[nickel]

Supposedly bi-polar and off his meds. Sad.
i blame him and his wife's stupidity for all of this. they both knew this guy should stay on his medication. bipolar people are not stupid. he knew he shouldn't skip doses.
i put no blame on the FAM who did their job correctly.

the man is seriously mentally ill. he should NOT have been off his meds, and if he is prone to episodes of hysteria without his meds, and it seems his wife knew this too, then why the hell was he flying? it was a recipe for disaster.

[Grimm]

Considering the danger, perhaps we should place limits on mentaly disturbed people who are flying. What if he lost it while the aircraft was in the air?
He could have caused a panic resulting in many deaths. Or even worse, what if he had managed to get into the cockpit?

[Prisoner 24601]

I don't think anyone could hijack the lane with pocket knives or scissors because the passengers are just going to kick their a$$e$.

Anyway that's sad but it has to be done when someone yell "BOMB" on an airplane.

Im totally with you... if someone pulls out a mini set of scissors and thinks they are going to take over the ENTIRE flight of what? 50+ people with a set of scissors or a screwdriver? I actually see more sense in the screwdriver coz the sick Fs might try to open a window or some crap.

But I know if I was on a plane and some imbacile gets up and says they are taking over the plane with a pair of scissors, Id start laughing right at him and then start kickin some major booty!

[welfareloser]

i blame him and his wife's stupidity for all of this. they both knew this guy should stay on his medication. bipolar people are not stupid. he knew he shouldn't skip doses.
i put no blame on the FAM who did their job correctly.

the man is seriously mentally ill. he should NOT have been off his meds, and if he is prone to episodes of hysteria without his meds, and it seems his wife knew this too, then why the hell was he flying? it was a recipe for disaster.

it was the mental illness that convinced him he didn't need/want his meds, not stupidity. his wife may not have known he was skipping doses til after the fact, and even if she knew, how would she force him to take them? i have a hard enough time forcing toddlers to take meds they don't want.

*sigh* sad. doubtful that the FAM did anything wrong, but it's always good to investigate after a death just to keep em all honest. if he was already at his bag, they probably did need to shoot to kill... too bad they didn't think to take out his legs before he got to it.

[welfareloser]

Considering the danger, perhaps we should place limits on mentaly disturbed people who are flying. What if he lost it while the aircraft was in the air?
He could have caused a panic resulting in many deaths. Or even worse, what if he had managed to get into the cockpit?

but where would you draw the line? if they're on their meds, they're probably fine. if they're not on their meds, they'll probably lie and say they are. and which disorders would have limits? what about those who have less severe cases of the disorders you decide to put limits on?

i think we already have all the restrictions we're going to get - if you're in a mental institution, you're not walking around buying plane tickets. if you're not in a mental institution, you get to do what everyone else gets to do... every tragedy isn't preventable. it's pretty hard to say someone - anyone - should have seen this one coming and stopped it. i'd expect behavior like this out of an unmedicated schizophrenic, but not a bipolar. he might curl up in a ball and cry, or go pirouetting through the aisles of the plane and refuse to sit and buckle up, but claiming you have a bomb and then running for it is a bit unusual. **** happens.

[nickel]

it was the mental illness that convinced him he didn't need/want his meds, not stupidity. his wife may not have known he was skipping doses til after the fact, and even if she knew, how would she force him to take them? i have a hard enough time forcing toddlers to take meds they don't want.

*sigh* sad. doubtful that the FAM did anything wrong, but it's always good to investigate after a death just to keep em all honest. if he was already at his bag, they probably did need to shoot to kill... too bad they didn't think to take out his legs before he got to it.
let's put it this way then... if i couldn't "force" my bipolar husband to take his meds, and i knew he might have an episode because of it then i wouldn't let him fly.

i guess without delving into his history prior to this there may be more we don't know, but still some accountablility for why he flew while being so unstable may be reasonable to ask for.

[Grimm]

but where would you draw the line?
If someone has a medical condition that could cause them to lose control of their behavior they should be required to notify the airline and the TSA should pre-board them. The air marshals should know who they are. THey should go through extra screening sh everyone will know they can't have a bomb or weapon.

[welfareloser]

If someone has a medical condition that could cause them to lose control of their behavior they should be required to notify the airline and the TSA should pre-board them. The air marshals should know who they are. THey should go through extra screening sh everyone will know they can't have a bomb or weapon.

good restriction, actually. sounds like an excellent idea.


let's put it this way then... if i couldn't "force" my bipolar husband to take his meds, and i knew he might have an episode because of it then i wouldn't let him fly.

i guess without delving into his history prior to this there may be more we don't know, but still some accountablility for why he flew while being so unstable may be reasonable to ask for.

there's very little chance she "knew he might have" an episode like THIS episode, as an episode like this simply is not a feature of bipolar disorder. they get horribly depressed, they get manic and wildly creative and messy and productive. they don't tend to get delusional or threatening. there was no reason for anyone to see this coming, unless he's done something like it before (in which case he would likely have been diagnosed with something else, either instead of or in addition to bipolar disorder.) accountability is great, but sometimes there just isn't anyone to hold accountable.

[Merlin]

If someone has a medical condition that could cause them to lose control of their behavior they should be required to notify the airline and the TSA should pre-board them. The air marshals should know who they are. THey should go through extra screening sh everyone will know they can't have a bomb or weapon.
This gets much harder when it is an international flight from a third world country. Good idea but not as easy as it sounds.

[MikeD]

i blame him and his wife's stupidity for all of this. they both knew this guy should stay on his medication. bipolar people are not stupid. he knew he shouldn't skip doses.
i put no blame on the FAM who did their job correctly.

the man is seriously mentally ill. he should NOT have been off his meds, and if he is prone to episodes of hysteria without his meds, and it seems his wife knew this too, then why the hell was he flying? it was a recipe for disaster.

:agree:, though it's dicey trying to say exactly what caused him to stop taking his meds. Could have been his fault, could have been his wife not keeping close enough watch on him, etc. Regardless, sounds the FAM did his job.

In this post 9/11 world, these things will happen. If there are passengers on a plane who are not responding to the FAM(s), they should be taken down. Period. What if the guy did have a bomb, and the FAM didn't take him out? We'd be upset that the guy didn't do his job, and cost everyone on board their lives...

It's not an ideal scenario, but probably the best one. I certainly feel for the guy and his family, but it sounded like this could have been avoided more easily on their end than on the FAM's end.

[molecularfire]

The problem with mental disorders though is that these generally aren't the obviously messed up people. The obviously messed up people you see on TV generally don't exist and the few that do are usually locked up in an inpatient ward anyways. The problem with mental disorders are that except for bad periods where they are a danger to themselves or others (for most of whom is a very small percentage of the time) they look and act fairly if not completely normal and are not a danger to themselves or anyone else. I don't see the point in ostracizing them (which is pretty likely to make their condition worse) based on one incident and a bunch of "what if's" which are unlikely because they don't plan things well, and don't have the self control to cause harm effectively in a system as restrictive as the airports are nowadays. It's the sane people in the planes that worry me more.

Oh, and as for the meds. thing... people with mental illnesses can be amazingly creative at coming up with ways of not taking their meds., even in inpatient settings. They can palm the pills, hide them in their mouths, make themselves vomit up the pills shortly after swallowing them, chew the pills with the back teeth and then later clean off the pills from the back teeth with a napkin or their fingernails, etc... Plenty of people in locked psyche wards can get away without taking their pills... I don't fault anyone for not being able to pick up that the dud might not be taking his meds.

Oh, and I agree with you WFL... dude was probably schizoaffective but bipolars can have delusions. Definitions aren't generally accurate in separating mood disorders with psychotic disorders because there aren't separation points... just a wide diverse gradient (personally, I've never figured out how psychiatrists can say someone has bipolar disorder with delusions versus schizoaffective disorder).