Shirtless man restrained by passengers after mid-flight assault on crew, feds say

A Washington, D.C., man’s alleged bare-chested attack on a flight crew ended with him being restrained and handcuffed by fellow passengers, according to federal officials. And now he’s facing charges.

Kedus Yacob Damtew, 38, was aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston, Texas, to Newark, New Jersey, when he threatened and assaulted the airplane’s crew, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey said in a Dec. 10 news release. The flight was on June 12, but Damtew was recently charged with interfering with flight crew members and attendants and, if convicted, could spend up to 20 years in prison.

McClatchy News reached out to an attorney listed for Damtew but didn’t immediately hear back.

The plane was about to land in New Jersey when prosecutors say Damtew turned aggressive.

“Damtew removed his shirt; pushed his bare chest into a flight attendant, pinning the flight attendant against the aircraft exit door; shouted epithets and threats of physical violence; and punched an aircraft oven,” the release said. “Damtew then followed the same flight attendant to the rear of the aircraft, where he continued to shout threats and epithets and threw a cup of water.”

According to documents, the flight attendant’s face became “covered in saliva” due to Damtew’s shouting.

Another flight attendant got on the PA system and asked passengers to help, and some obliged, helping restrain Damtew at the back of the plane, prosecutors say. After the flight landed, he was arrested.

Damtew’s actions put passengers and crew in a potentially dangerous situation, as the flight crew was unable to carry out its normal duties while also dealing with him, according to prosecutors. The pilot was also not able to perform safety cross checks before landing.

In addition to a possible 20-year sentence, Damtew could be fined as much as $250,000.

This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 2:26 PM with the headline "Shirtless man restrained by passengers after mid-flight assault on crew, feds say."