A Massachusetts resident has pleaded guilty to a terrifying mid-flight incident in which he attempted to stab a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and tried to open an airplane’s emergency exit door during a cross-country flight.
Francisco Severo Torres of Leominster admitted guilt on Tuesday to charges of interference with flight crew members and attempted interference using a dangerous weapon. The charges stem from a March 2023 disturbance aboard United Airlines Flight 2609, which was en route from Los Angeles to Boston.
Court records and eyewitnesses detail how Torres triggered panic roughly 45 minutes before the plane’s scheduled landing. An alarm signaled that an emergency door had been tampered with. One crew member noticed the door’s locking mechanism had been shifted, and another reported seeing Torres near it, suspecting he was the one who moved the handle.
While it’s physically impossible to open a plane door mid-flight due to cabin pressure, Torres reportedly began screaming incoherently, claiming his father was Dracula and demanding to be shot so he could be reborn. One passenger recalled him threatening to kill everyone onboard.
Things escalated when Torres lunged at a male flight attendant, striking him with the makeshift weapon… a modified metal spoon… near his collar and tie. Fortunately, no one was hurt during the frenzied assault.
Passengers quickly intervened, restraining Torres until the flight landed safely at Boston Logan International Airport, where he was taken into custody. If convicted at sentencing, Torres could face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
His attorney has not issued a public comment. According to court documents, Torres has a history of mental health struggles and has been in and out of psychiatric facilities. Local police reports show multiple interactions with him dating back to 2014, primarily related to mental health and family disturbances.
Following his arrest, a federal judge initially deemed Torres mentally unfit to stand trial and ordered further psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
