Julio Alvarez Lopez, a Mexican national who became a lawful permanent resident in 2018, pleaded guilty on Thursday to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. The incident occurred on January 24, 2024, during a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas. Lopez admitted to creating a weapon by bundling three pens with hairbands and attempted to stab another passenger in the eye, aiming to reach the victim's brain, according to federal prosecutors. Witnesses reported significant bloodshed during the attack, which took place approximately 30 minutes before landing. Flight attendants and passengers restrained Lopez until the plane landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport, where he was taken into custody by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Lopez later told FBI agents that he believed the victim was following him and had intentions to kill him. The victim sustained injuries requiring stitches. Lopez is scheduled for sentencing on September 22.
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Signals flagged in the original
- loaded language: 'chaos'
- loaded language: 'erupts'
- loaded language: 'terrifying'
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Mexican national pleads guilty to assault on flight from Seattle to Las Vegas
Julio Alvarez Lopez pleaded guilty to assaulting a passenger on a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas, where he attempted to stab the victim with a weapon made from pens. The attack occurred shortly before landing, resulting in injuries to the victim. Lopez is set to be sentenced on September 22.
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- ✕ loaded language: 'chaos'
- ✕ loaded language: 'erupts'
- ✕ loaded language: 'terrifying'
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Mexican national made knife from pens, tried stabbing passenger in the brain on Vegas-bound flight, DOJ says
Mexican national pleads guilty to assault on flight from Seattle to Las Vegas