Jet passenger admits making pen weapon before bloody midair eye attack
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A Mexican citizen who was granted lawful permanent resident status in 2018 pleaded guilty Thursday after admitting he packed three pens with headbands before boarding a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas, then tried to stab another passenger “in the eye to get to his brain,” according to federal prosecutors.
According to a federal criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital, the horrific attack took place about 30 minutes before the plane was scheduled to land in Las Vegas, when Julio Alvarez Lopez allegedly left his seat, went to the restroom, and upon returning suddenly began punching, shooting and stabbing a passenger sitting in the aisle.
Witnesses told investigators there was “blood everywhere” as the victim’s wife yelled at Lopez to stop attacking her husband. The complaint states that he was shot while protecting the couple’s 7-year-old son during the struggle.
After the attack, Lopez “began walking toward the front of the plane,” according to the complaint. An eyewitness told investigators that as he moved up the hallway, Lopez repeatedly shouted, “I’m only going to talk to the FBI.”
CHAOS EMERGED ON AN AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT, WHEN A BAD PASSENGER ALLEGEDLY BIT A PASSENGER IN THE AIR.
Federal investigators say Julio Alvarez Lopez made the homemade weapon by packaging three pens with headbands before attacking a passenger on the plane. (US Department of Justice)
According to the complaint, a sworn law enforcement officer on the flight ordered Lopez to sit down before flight attendants placed flex handcuffs and passengers restrained him for the remainder of the flight.
The flight landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, where Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers took Lopez into custody.
IT WAS ALLEGED THAT PASSENGERS BOOKED THE FLIGHT WITH FAKE BOARDING PASSES AND FORCED THE PLANE TO RETURN TO THE GATE.
Federal court records show the victim suffered injuries around his eyes after prosecutors said he was attacked on a flight on Jan. 24, 2024. (US Department of Justice)
Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from the attack on Jan. 24, 2024, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
In an interview with FBI agents and after waiving his Miranda rights, Lopez admitted to making the gun by packing three pens and headbands before boarding the plane.
Investigators said Lopez told him he believed the victim, identified in court documents as CR, was following him during the flight. Lopez also said he believed CR was “The Cartel” and was trying to get him to stop following him.
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The complaint also states that Lopez told investigators he had never seen CR before the flight but “planned to attack and kill her.”
According to investigators, Lopez admitted that he planned to kill the victim by stabbing him in the eye.
“I planned to attack and kill him,” Lopez told investigators, according to the complaint.
Lopez also admitted to investigators that he “tried to stab CR in the eye to get to CR’s brain in an attempt to kill him.”
According to prosecutors, the victim had wounds on his body and eye area that required stitches.
Court documents say witnesses noticed Lopez acting strangely before the attack. A passenger told investigators that Lopez appeared “fidgety,” repeatedly putting on and taking off gloves, reaching into his backpack several times and avoiding eye contact with other passengers.
Images released by the US Department of Justice regarding the pen knife attack on a Las Vegas plane. (US Department of Justice)
An eyewitness described Lopez as having “gray/white hair tied up in a bun on top of her head” and wearing a sweatshirt at the time.
Another eyewitness said that as the plane began to descend into Las Vegas, Lopez stood up twice, went to the bathroom, then returned to his seat before suddenly launching the attack.
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The complaint also says Lopez told investigators he sought asylum in the United States and believed the mob had been following him for several months.
Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22.
