Free Republic

Federal air marshals kill a passenger on an Orlando-bound American Airlines jetliner after the man claims he has a bomb in his backpack, authorities say. Rigoberto Alpizar bolted down the aisle of American Airlines Flight 924 shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday. In pursuit behind him, through the narrow passageway of the Boeing 757: his female companion -- police believe it was his wife -- yelling ''stop, stop'' in English and then in Spanish, ``He's sick, he's sick.'' The chaos ended quickly. Federal agents shot the Florida man after he claimed he had a bomb in his backpack. The incident drew...

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...