- Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta was forced to make an emergency landing in Oklahoma City
- The reported hijacking attempt happened on Friday night
- The suspect, Stephon Jamar Duncan, allegedly said he was going to take the plane down
A cross-country Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta was forced to make an emergency landing in Oklahoma City after an unruly passenger made terroristic threats, assaulted two flight attendants and tried to force open the aircraft’s door midair.
According to Oklahoma City police spokesman, the suspect, Stephon Jamar Duncan, allegedly said he was going to take the plane down.
The reported hijacking attempt happened on Friday night. Delta Air Lines Airbus A321 with about 200 people on board was somewhere in the middle of its route when one of the passengers made an announcement over the loudspeaker for everyone to “please take your seat and get ready to put on an oxygen mask.”
The suspect then “attempted to open the door of the plane,” other passengers on the flight said online.
The plane’s pilot had made an announcement asking strong men to come forward for an emergency, passengers recalled.
An off-duty pilot and some passengers onboard flight 1730 helped to subdue the suspect after he allegedly assaulted two flight attendants.
The plane was diverted to the nearest airport in Oklahoma City, where “the man was handed over to law enforcement,” and “a sweep of the plane” with sniffer dogs was conducted. After that, it proceeded to Atlanta.
Duncan was arrested and taken to a hospital after reporting chest pains and exhibiting signs of mental health issues, police said.
The incident comes just days after another Delta flight, also from Los Angeles, had to make an emergency landing after one of its passengers allegedly charged the front of the aircraft and attempted to breach the cockpit during the flight. Flight 386 to Nashville was diverted to Albuquerque, after the man reportedly pounding on the cockpit door and yelling “We need to land this plane” had been restrained. He was later charged with interference with flight crew members.
