A Washington, D.C., man’s alleged bare-chested attack on a flight attendant led to passengers intervening in a midair assault, federal officials said.
Kedus Yacob Damtew, 38, was aboard a United Airlines flight on June 12, 2024, from Houston to Newark, New Jersey, when he allegedly threatened and assaulted a flight attendant, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey.
Damtew was charged in federal court in Newark on Tuesday with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants by assault or intimidation. He allegedly took off his shirt shortly before landing and “pushed his bare chest into a flight attendant” before “pinning” the attendant “against the aircraft exit door” as he shouted threats of physical violence, according to the criminal complaint.
Officials said he also “punched an aircraft oven” amid his rampage.
The 38-year-old from Washington, D.C., continued threatening the flight attendant, officials said. He allegedly followed her to the back of the aircraft and proceeded to “throw a cup of water” at the worker.
Officials said another flight attendant requested assistance via the airplane’s public address system, prompting several passengers to assist in securing Damtew in flex cuffs in the last row of the plane until the flight landed at Newark.
Damtew appeared in D.C. federal court on Tuesday before Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh and was released.
He faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
“U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge,” the release said. “He also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Edward T. Cetnar, for its assistance.”
United Airlines declined to provide an additional comment to Fox News Digital.