Shirtless man accused of pushing United flight attendant against ‘exit door’ amid on-air violence
Other passengers left the plane together with the man.
The attack on a Washington, DC man, who allegedly confided in a flight attendant, led passengers to intervene during the air raid, government officials said.
Kedus Yacob Damtew, 38, was aboard a United Airlines flight on June 12, 2024, from Houston to Newark, New Jersey, when he threatened and assaulted a flight attendant, according to a news release from the US attorney’s office in New Jersey.
Damtew was charged in federal court in Newark on Tuesday with one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants by assault or threats. He allegedly took off his shirt shortly before landing and “pushed his bare chest at the flight attendant” before “pinning” the attendant to the “exit door” while yelling threats of abuse, according to the criminal complaint.
Officials said he “hit the airplane’s oven again” during his rampage.
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Interior of a United Airlines 737 (United Airlines)
The 38-year-old man from Washington, DC, continued to threaten the flight attendant, officials said. It is alleged that he followed her from the back of the plane and continued to “throw a cup of water” at the employee.
Officials said another flight attendant called for help through the plane’s public address system, prompting several passengers to help secure Damtew in flex cuffs in the last row of the plane until it landed in Newark.
| A ticker | Security | Finally | Change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 96.35 | -0.16 |
-0.17% |
Damtew appeared in DC court Tuesday before Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh and was released.
UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT TO AVOID ANOTHER WAY OF INJURY 2
He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Kedus Yacob Damtew was on a United Airlines flight in June when he threatened and assaulted a flight attendant. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images/File)
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“US Attorney Sellinger provided FBI special agents, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation that led to the indictment,” the release said. “He also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Edward T. Cetnar, for their assistance.”
United Airlines declined to provide further comment to Fox News Digital.
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