Alaska Airlines flight forced to return to Sea-Tac after man threatens passengers

SEATTLE -- Port of Seattle Police arrested a man accused of threatening other passengers on an Alaska Airlines flight headed to Chicago late Saturday night.

The incident occurred shortly after Alaska Airlines Flight 422 took off at 11:10 p.m., said Peter McGraw, spokesperson for the port. The man was apparently unarmed and no one was injured.

“The man became extremely belligerent and physically aggressive during the ascent,” Ray Lane, external communications manager for Alaska Airlines, said in an email.

Video from a passenger shows the man walking in the aisle and shouting that he would kill everyone on board “in the name of Jesus.” The man was wearing a face mask, as were other passengers.

Flight crew, two passengers and a law-enforcement officer who happened to be on board quickly subdued the man, Lane said.

The plane turned around and landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. When police boarded, the man was cooperative, McGraw said. He was booked into the King County jail on suspicion of harassment. The Seattle Times is not naming the arrested man because he has not yet been charged with a crime.

McGraw had no information on the man’s motivation, and said police are still investigating.

The flight was canceled and passengers were booked on the next available flights to Chicago.