FBI arrests man for allegedly stabbing passenger on Las Vegas-bound flight

David Charns
·2 min read
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FBI arrests man for allegedly stabbing passenger on Las Vegas-bound flight

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A man is accused of attacking and stabbing another passenger on a Las Vegas-bound flight with a homemade weapon, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators reviewed.

Julio Lopez faces one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, according to federal court documents.

On Jan. 24, Lopez was traveling on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Las Vegas when he attempted to stab a passenger in the eye, documents said.

After returning from a trip to the bathroom, Lopez allegedly “began punching and hitting” a man seated across the aisle from him, documents said. Lopez also allegedly hit the victim’s wife as she shielded their 7-year-old son.

<em>Investigators later found this weapon, which was made with a bundle of pens and rubber bands, documents say. (FBI/KLAS)</em>
Investigators later found this weapon, which was made with a bundle of pens and rubber bands, documents say. (FBI/KLAS)

“During the altercation, [the victim’s] wife was screaming at the defendant to stop hitting her husband,” an FBI agent wrote in court documents. “[A witness] unbuckled her seatbelt and yelled at the defendant to stop.”

Investigators later found a weapon, which was made with a bundle of pens and rubber bands, documents said.

The witness told investigators there “was blood everywhere.” After the attack, Lopez started “screaming, ‘I’ll only talk to the FBI,’” documents said.

A law enforcement officer, who was also on the flight, then ordered Lopez to sit down, documents said. The flight crew then “worked to provide flex cuffs and the defendant was restrained for the remainder of the flight.”

<em>Photo of Harry Reid International Airport (BusinessWire/AP)</em>
Photo of Harry Reid International Airport (BusinessWire/AP)

During an interview at the airport, Lopez allegedly told officials he “felt the mafia had been chasing him” and that he had never seen the victim “but planned on killing [him]” as he believed he was being followed, documents said.

On Jan. 25, Judge Nancy Koppe ordered Lopez detained pending trial. On Wednesday, A federal grand jury indicted Lopez on the assault charge.

Lopez was due to return to court on March 1.

Because the case was in federal court, no booking photo was available. Lopez’s place of residence was also not immediately available.

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