Air marshals detain unruly passenger; some complain marshals kept guns raised

WTNH Television ^ | 09/01/2002 | Puppage

[Puppage]

(Philadelphia-AP Aug. 31, 2002 10:30 PM) _ Some travelers on a Delta Air Lines flight are complaining about a federal air marshal who was helping detain an unruly passenger.

They say one marshal pointed his gun toward passengers for about 30 minutes during Saturday's Atlanta-to-Philadelphia flight while the other huddled over the detainee.

One passenger says if the gun had accidentally gone off, "he would have killed somebody or hurt somebody."

Federal prosecutors declined to charge the detainee after discussing the incident with the marshals. He was released.

A Delta spokeswoman declined to comment on the incident.

The government has had federal air marshals patrolling planes since the 1980's. But it put hundreds more in the air after September eleventh.

[Puppage]

if the gun had accidentally gone off, "he would have killed somebody or hurt somebody."

Yes, and if the plane slammed into a building, everyone would have been killed. This is a ridicules statement. NO ONE was injured, and the plane was secured. As for "pointing the gun at passengers", this is just good secucrity at work. As if the Air Marshall knows that ALL the paassengers are law abiding? Also, there's not ONE comment about the fact that no one was injured, and the Air Marshal potentially saved all their lives.

[RipSawyer]

And if a bullfrog had wings, etc.

[Pern]

One passenger says if the gun had accidentally gone off, "he would have killed somebody or hurt somebody."

And if the gun would have gone off and hurt or killed somebody, the Federal thug wouldn't have been held accountable. He probably would have gotten a promotion.

Never, NEVER, point your weapon at something/someone you don't intend to shoot.

[Ben Ficklin]

He was released.

[Rockiesrider]

Every plane that hit a building on 9/11 had more than one terrorist on it. The shy marshall did just what he needed to do. There is always some idiot that complains about his or her rights being violated. They should be thanking that marshall for getting them home safely, rather than complaining.

[Puppage]

And how was he/she to WHO is friend or foe at that moment in time? Another reason for guns in the cockpit. It's much easier to defend a small doorway, than the entire coach class. I seriously doubt that he held/pointed, whatever, his weapon at innocent passengers for 30 minutes.

[End Times Sentinel]

Federal prosecutors declined to charge the detainee after discussing the incident with the marshals. He was released.

I’d like a little more detail as to exactly what this unruly passenger was doing. The local news has interviewed people on the plane, but so far has only broadcast statements about the air marshals.

This is a major aspect to be left out of the story.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[chachacha]

And if the gun would have gone off and hurt or killed somebody, the Federal thug wouldn't have been held accountable. He probably would have gotten a promotion.

Uh,Oh! How did you find this Web Site?

[Puppage]

This is a major aspect to be left out of the story.

Unfortunately, it's par for the course when guns & the liberal media cross paths.

[Cannon6]

Good for the marshal. Who knows if there was anyone else on the flight who may have tried something.

[Savage Beast]

The people of the world have had to go to extraordinary lengths to prevent Muslims from blowing up passenger planes. This certainly speaks volumes about Muslims and their religion, doesn't it! It also speaks volumes about the "god" they serve! "It" certainly is not God.

[scab4faa]

These guys are trained to operate guns safely, if not they wouldn't have been on the plane. So sit down, shut up and listen to the nice man with the gun. He's just trying to do his job and save your ass.

[Puppage]

EXACTLY!!!

[stylin_geek]

I used to hunt geese around Rochester, MN. It was legal to set up along side a road and wait for the geese to come out. One was not allowed to shoot across the road, for obvious reasons.

However, one day, we actually had a woman complain to us that we had shot across the road as she was driving by. (nevermind the idea of stopping and yelling at people who are armed...) This was an aburd claim, to say the least. I had no idea that having a shotgun pointed almost straight up in the air (in no way could the angle be interpreted as "shooting across the road") constituted shooting across the road.

The point in all this is...there are some people out there who get so hysterical at the site of a firearm, they will see (or claim they see) something that almost or might have happened.

[Puppage]

Agreed. It's also a known fact that an "eye witness" is not as reliable as most people would believe. Quite the contrary.

[Howie]

A little more of the story:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/742811/posts

[Shooter 2.5]

I smell a lawsuit.
There's a hundred people on any given flight and the media always talks to the nuts.

[Mulder]

These guys are trained to operate guns safely, if not they wouldn't have been on the plane. So sit down, shut up and listen to the nice man with the gun. He's just trying to do his job and save your ass.

Well, according to USA Today, two of these samurai have had negligent discharges (not on the airplane, in a hotel room), one left his weapon in the airport bathroom, and others have fallen asleep.

The fundamental rule of guns is never point it at something you are unwilling to destroy. Sounds like this guy needs to take some more training.

Why is it when one of the annointed federal agents detains someone, people seem to always have legitimate complaints about how they handled it, but when one of the serfs do it (like the 2 flight attendants who helped stopped Reid-- Drudge has a story linked), no one really complains? Could it be that lowly flight attendants have more common sense than federal agents?

[Northpaw]

This incident indicates proper training of the Air Marshall. He was prepared for all contingencies. Terrorists are not all fools. It would be very easy for one to start a diversion to 'draw out' the Marshall and once identified, other hijackers could overpower him.

[blam]

I support the actions of the marshall.