Posted on 12/08/2005 12:21:37 PM PST by Rennes Templar
A passenger on Flight 924 gives his account of the shooting and says Rigoberto Alpizar never claimed to have a bomb
By SIOBHAN MORRISSEY/MIAMI
At least one passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 924 maintains the federal air marshals were a little too quick on the draw when they shot and killed Rigoberto Alpizar as he frantically attempted to run off the airplane shortly before take-off.
"I don't think they needed to use deadly force with the guy," says John McAlhany, a 44-year-old construction worker from Sebastian, Fla. "He was getting off the plane." McAlhany also maintains that Alpizar never mentioned having a bomb.
"I never heard the word 'bomb' on the plane," McAlhany told TIME in a telephone interview. "I never heard the word bomb until the FBI asked me did you hear the word bomb. That is ridiculous." Even the authorities didn't come out and say bomb, McAlhany says. "They asked, 'Did you hear anything about the b-word?'" he says. "That's what they called it."
When the incident began McAlhany was in seat 24C, in the middle of the plane. "[Alpizar] was in the back," McAlhany says, "a few seats from the back bathroom. He sat down." Then, McAlhany says, "I heard an argument with his wife. He was saying 'I have to get off the plane.' She said, 'Calm down.'"
Alpizar took off running down the aisle, with his wife close behind him. "She was running behind him saying, 'He's sick. He's sick. He's ill. He's got a disorder," McAlhany recalls. "I don't know if she said bipolar disorder [as one witness has alleged]. She was trying to explain to the marshals that he was ill. He just wanted to get off the plane."
McAlhany described Alpizar as carrying a big backpack and wearing a fanny pack in front. He says it would have been impossible for Alpizar to lie flat on the floor of the plane, as marshals ordered him to do, with the fanny pack on. "You can't get on the ground with a fanny pack," he says. "You have to move it to the side."
By the time Alpizar made it to the front of the airplane, the crew had ordered the rest of the passengers to get down between the seats. "I didn't see him get shot," he says. "They kept telling me to get down. I heard about five shots."
McAlhany says he tried to see what was happening just in case he needed to take evasive action. "I wanted to make sure if anything was coming toward me and they were killing passengers I would have a chance to break somebody's neck," he says. "I was looking through the seats because I wanted to see what was coming.
"I was on the phone with my brother. Somebody came down the aisle and put a shotgun to the back of my head and said put your hands on the seat in front of you. I got my cell phone karate chopped out of my hand. Then I realized it was an official."
In the ensuing events, many of the passengers began crying in fear, he recalls. "They were pointing the guns directly at us instead of pointing them to the ground," he says "One little girl was crying. There was a lady crying all the way to the hotel."
McAlhany said he saw Alpizar before the flight and is absolutely stunned by what unfolded on the airplane. He says he saw Alpizar eating a sandwich in the boarding area before getting on the plane. He looked normal at that time, McAlhany says. He thinks the whole thing was a mistake: "I don't believe he should be dead right now."
Huh? I have repeatedly said that given the current information, the air marshals were justified in their actions. How do you get that I want to subvert the right to self-defense?
Seriously, did you actually read my post?
We are not discussing what the air marshals believed. The other poster believes that it is possible that the air marshals may have caught this guy trying to detonate a bomb. I am just addressing that fallacy. The feds say this is not the case in their official statements and there was no bomb on the plane.
Just a guess, but if I were on board an aircraft waiting to depart, and some guy was runninig up and down the isle yelling "I have a bomb" I don't think my cell phone conversation would distract me from hearing and seeing something like that.
This guy wants his 15 minutes of fame.
"McAlhany described Alpizar as carrying a big backpack and wearing a fanny pack in front. He says it would have been impossible for Alpizar to lie flat on the floor of the plane, as marshals ordered him to do, with the fanny pack on. "You can't get on the ground with a fanny pack," he says. "You have to move it to the side."
It is impossible to move the fanny pack to the side and lie down?
Just who is this McAlhaney?
Terrorists often rig bombs to detonate when a certain telephone number is called. Or, they communicate with other team members to coordinate their attacks. If you are a sky marshall and have told everyone to get down and stay down and you see some yahoo half raised, peeking through the seats and using a cell phone, you might well be justified in shooting him.
I haven't this fellow on the news, but I'm guessing he doesn't fit the "Middle-Eastern male 18-30 years old" profile. If he did, he'd probably be dead.
The guy was not obeying orders.
I am just glad they managed to get 5 bullets in his body so quickly. Next time, they need to get 50.
Well yes, but to do so one would have to reach for the pack, right?
Oh well excuse me - I guess you are the only one who hasI have been following it closely. I reckon I got to quit watching that imaginary channel.
True. They probably would have shot him for that. But, he could have still laid down.
Weren't the Marshals in plain clothes? Personally, if I were on board a flight, and someone stood up in plain clothes, and said I'm a Sky Marshal, everyone bury their heads between the seats and keep them there, I may have problem with that.
Lets hope the terrorist don't pick up on this and pose as Sky Marshal's on some flight, and start making demands of the passengers, in hopes of keeping the passengers from attacking them.
Unfortunately, there are no perfect ways to combat such evil.
I certainly hope he does not feel awful. He did his job as trained to the situation. If he does feel bad, then he should resign and go into another line of work.
"Weren't the Marshals in plain clothes? Personally, if I were on board a flight, and someone stood up in plain clothes, and said I'm a Sky Marshal, everyone bury their heads between the seats and keep them there, I may have problem with that."
Okay. Let's make sure they have name tags that say "Hi, I'm a airline marshall."
I have never seen such stupid comments on a thread since I've been here;
1. Shoot to disable.
2. A terrorist would have blown the plane up in the air, not on the ground.
3. How did the marshalls know there really was a bomb in this guys bag?
4. I would have been suspicious too if someone announced "I'm a sky marshall. Put your heads down."
5. CNN said...
Take a freaking train.
That was not my point. But you knew that.
I'd bet they flashed badges when they made demands of the passengers. Just a guess, but isn't that what cops do? You'd think an air marshall would be capable of that, too, right?
Jigsaw John - since 11/18/05
"I'd bet they flashed badges when they made demands of the passengers. Just a guess, but isn't that what cops do? You'd think an air marshall would be capable of that, too, right?
Jigsaw John - since 11/18/05"
And hope to God they read him his Miranda rights too.
People even dress up in police and sheriff's uniforms, complete with badges, in an effort to gain entry to private homes and business, conduct home invasion robberies.
Many case of people even carrying badges and driving around in their private cars, complete with reds lights, pulling over innocents, and robbing or killing them. Maybe you don't get out much. I don't know.
I don't want to argue with you though.
I only said, if I were on a flight, and someone in plain clothes stood up and started demanding everyone bury their heads between the seats and keep them there, I would probably have a problem with that.
I have no idea what that date you posted is suppose to mean.
I'm sorry it bothers you so much to have anyone question your assumptions. I really don't want to get into a pi**ing contest wit you. I said I would let you win.
susie
Then sadly, something bad would probably happen to you.
susie
I quit flying on commercial flights. I dislike having little control in a closed, crowded environment. However, I do enjoy flying in light, private aircraft, without sick and ill people on board, and strangers in plain clothes carrying firearms.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.