Airline passenger confesses to creating pen weapon prior to violent eye assault during flight

Flight Attack by Mexican National

A Mexican national, who became a legal permanent resident in 2018, pleaded guilty Thursday. He admitted to tying three pens together with a hairband before boarding a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas, where he attempted to stab another passenger “through the eye to get to the brain,” as federal prosecutors described.

This terrifying incident occurred around half an hour before the plane was set to land in Las Vegas. Julio Alvarez López left his seat, went to the bathroom, returned, and suddenly began to punch and stab a passenger located across the aisle, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Witnesses recounted a scene where “there was blood everywhere,” as the victim’s wife pleaded for López to stop attacking her husband. In the chaos, the man was reportedly trying to shield their 7-year-old son when he was injured.

Following the attack, López moved toward the front of the aircraft, shouting, “I only talk to the FBI,” as he walked down the aisle, according to witness accounts.

An American Airlines flight was thrown into turmoil when a passenger reportedly bit someone else mid-air. Meanwhile, a law enforcement officer on board instructed López to sit down, and flight attendants later provided flex cuffs, allowing passengers to restrain him for the rest of the flight.

The plane managed to land safely at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, where officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested López.

López pleaded guilty to a single count of assault with a dangerous weapon linked to the attack on January 24, 2024, as confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

During an interview after waiving his Miranda rights, López admitted to crafting the weapon from pens before getting on the plane. He allegedly told police he thought the victim, identified in court papers as “CR,” was following him during the flight, even claiming CR was part of a “cartel” trying to intimidate him.

Interestingly, the complaint suggests that López remarked he had never seen CR before, yet he “intended to attack and kill him.” He further acknowledged his plan was to stab the victim in the eye.

According to the prosecutors, the victim suffered various injuries requiring stitches as a result of the attack.

Witnesses noted López’s odd behavior leading up to the incident. One passenger described him as “fidgety,” frequently putting on and removing his gloves, rummaging through his backpack, and avoiding eye contact.

Witness accounts noted López had “gray or white hair tied in a bun” and was wearing a sweatshirt at the time of the attack. Strangely, as the plane began its descent, López got up twice to use the restroom before the assault commenced.

Additionally, the complaint mentioned López expressed a desire for asylum in the U.S., claiming he believed the Mafia had been tracking him for several months.