Miami, December 8
US air marshals shot and killed an American Airlines passenger who claimed to be carrying a bomb in his backpack at Miami International Airport.
While many details remained confused, federal officials yesterday said the 44-year-old American made threats and indicated he had a bomb in his bag. He was boarding a flight that had arrived from the Colombian city of Medellin. The man, who arrived in Miami from Quito, Ecuador, was identified tentatively as Florida resident Rigoberto Alpizar. He was confronted by two air marshals on board the Orlando-bound plane and shot.
Officials in Washington said he tried to flee, ignored an order to put his bag on the ground and was shot on the passenger gangway. But law enforcement officials in Miami gave a sketchier account, saying he was shot on the plane.
“The passenger then reached into his carry-on bag, at which point, consistent with air marshal training, the air marshals took the appropriate action. Shots were fired as the team attempted to subdue the subject,” said a Department of Homeland Security spokesman.
Federal officials said there were no indications of links to terrorism, nor any signs of a bomb.
“There were no explosives involved, that we’re aware of on the plane,” special agent in charge of the federal air marshals’ Miami office told a press conference outside the airport terminal.
A woman who said she was an eyewitness told NBC television’s Miami affiliate, WTVJ, that the man’s wife had screamed “My husband, my husband,” and said he had bipolar disorder and needed medication.
“Her husband ran through the aisle frantically. She ran after him and all of a sudden there were four or five shots,” passenger Mary Gardner told the station on the phone.
Federal officials said they could not comment on the allegation that the suspect might have been mentally ill.
— Reuters
