Disruptive passenger duct-taped to first-class seat as plane makes emergency landing at BWI Marshall Airport - WTOP News

American Airlines Flight 618, traveling from Dallas Fort Worth to Newark, was diverted for an emergency landing at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Thursday night after a passenger became disruptive, the FAA said.
Passengers Richard Olenick and Juan Mejia, a retired New Jersey police officer, said a man seated two rows behind them in first class grew belligerent, struck the passenger next to him, and then hit a woman who tried to intervene.
Olenick and Mejia reported the man used profanity along with racial and homophobic slurs; a flight attendant handed them zip ties to restrain his wrists as he resisted.
After the man bit Mejia and tried to bite Olenick, the group used duct tape supplied by a flight attendant to secure him, deliberately avoiding his mouth so he could breathe.
Olenick said he sat on the restrained passenger's lap for roughly 15 minutes until the plane landed, returning after briefly attempting to sit back down when the man began acting up again.
Maryland Transportation Authority Police met the aircraft and arrested one man on state charges, according to the FBI; both men noted the incident felt more alarming with the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaching. American Airlines said it does not tolerate violence and thanked its crew and customers.