Passenger opens emergency exit door on flight, causing emergency slide to be deployed, police say

A man was detained Saturday, March 25, at Los Angeles International Airport after he opened an emergency exit door and deployed the emergency slide on a Delta Air Lines flight, authorities said.

The passenger, who was not identified, was aboard a flight from Los Angeles to Seattle when he opened the door as the plane was pushing away from the gate around 10 a.m., Los Angeles Airport Police Capt. Karla Rodriguez said in a statement.

Gillian Sheldon, a passenger on board the plane, told NBC Los Angeles about the man's behavior. "He clearly was agitated, or nervous or anxious or freaked out about something," Sheldon said.

A flight attendant came up to the man and told him he needed to get back to his seat, but he turned and grabbed the plane's door, Sheldon said.

The flight attendant told the passenger he couldn't open the door, but "within two seconds he opened the door," Sheldon said.

Delta confirmed an incident with an "unruly passenger" in a statement to NBC News. The man was first detained by Delta staff before police arrived, the airline said.

Airport police detained the man, Rodriguez said, and the plane returned to a gate so passengers could be put on a new plane to continue with their flight plans.

It is unclear if the man faces any charges.

The FBI was notified of the incident, Rodriguez said, but the agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com