Man Killed in Airline Threat suffered from Mental Illness
Surely most of you have read by now, the episode that took place yesterday aboard an airplane at Miami International Airport. A man, who was on board, was sitting in the back of the plane. He started shouting that he had a bomb. There were two air marshals on board the airliner. The man proceeded to run towards the front of the airplane, which was still grounded and the marshals told him to stop. Apparently, the man did not stop, but continued to run and exited the plane and he was shot and killed. His wife, who was sitting at the back of the airplane said that her husband suffered from bi-polar disorder and had not taken his medication. After he was killed, it was confirmed that there were no explosives nor bombs on him nor inside his luggage. Of course, if the passangers were threatened in any way, some type of action should have been taken by these marshals, but did they go too far, under these circumstances, with a plane grounded, and a man screeming, who existed the airplane under the circumstances? It is the case that the air marshals had to act quickly, but was their use of deadly force justified under the circumstances?
It is the policy of the airlines, that anytime someone threatens the passengers, the crew or themselves, they can use their weapon. But did these air marshals act appropriately in light of the circumstances? Did they stop to consider how this man could have boarded an aircraft with a bomb without it being detected? Did they stop and entertain the idea, even for a moment, that the man may have been psychotic, suffering from a delusion? If they felt he needed to be stopped, why did they not just shoot him in the foot? Why did he have to be killed on the spot? Are fire marshals trained, or have information on how to deal with individuals who experience delusions?
Many of you know that I am a strong passionate advocate of those who suffer from mental illness. I am troubled and disturbed by this incident, and hope that it is investigated completely.
Thank you for your minds.
It is the policy of the airlines, that anytime someone threatens the passengers, the crew or themselves, they can use their weapon. But did these air marshals act appropriately in light of the circumstances? Did they stop to consider how this man could have boarded an aircraft with a bomb without it being detected? Did they stop and entertain the idea, even for a moment, that the man may have been psychotic, suffering from a delusion? If they felt he needed to be stopped, why did they not just shoot him in the foot? Why did he have to be killed on the spot? Are fire marshals trained, or have information on how to deal with individuals who experience delusions?
Many of you know that I am a strong passionate advocate of those who suffer from mental illness. I am troubled and disturbed by this incident, and hope that it is investigated completely.
Thank you for your minds.
25 Comments:
I know it's hard believe, isn't it? You have two very separate sides.
One, the officer's side, they had to make a snap decision. If the man had a bomb, they were responsible for saving all of those people. Now, they know he didn't have a bomb, they have to live with the decision.
Point of view two, his wife clearly stated he had a mental disorder. She can’t understand why they wouldn’t listen to her.
The third option no one ever considers is this maybe one more case of suicide by cop. (a person who can't kill themself with the will to do so might brandish a weapon in public or yell bomb on an airplane)
Recently I have noticed many shootings of mentally ill people by police. Alot of the time, brought under critisizm by others for the way the incident was handled. So far, in the incidents I've heard of, the police are always cleared of wrong doing. A very disturbing trend.
There are many citizens out there who don't care how these things are done, thinking the police are just taking out another crimminal. That is untill it affects them.
Sorry I'm off the track.
I agree w/Frida, it's a complicated issue, but there is just too many incidents of police killing citizens.
i might go for the "suicide by cop" theory, but i don't think so in this case. i seriously wonder if this man ever did mention "a bomb" or if that is just what the air marshalls expected to hear.
i, for one, have been on an airplane and my only thought was to get off (anxiety) -- maybe he was just couldn't wait any longer to get off that plane and the air marshalls mistook it for something else. and yes, they should have considered what his wife was saying.
Yes I saw it on the news yesterday....And I saw people saying that he was saying he had a bomb....and that he reached some luggage and was acting like he was getting something out of it....when the marshalls shot him....And I heard the wife saying he had MISSED taking his medicine....when someone is bi polar you have to make sure they take there medicine...It's very important!!......Not only for the safty of the person but for people that is around them!!!
Have a great day!!!!
It is understood that the safety of the passangers must be weighed and balanced against those of an individual making a threat. What baffles me, is l. how would he have been able to board an airplane with a bomb, that would not have been detected, 2. did the marshalls have to respond by using deadly force? Why could he not have been shot in the foot to be restrained, especially if he was not on board the airlines, and had exited, making sure that the passangers were not at risk of imminent danger?
I wonder whether these marshalls have training to deal with people suffering from serious mental illness, and can distinguish a delusion from a real threat.
Hi hon! The Lazy Iguana was there when it happened, though he didn't witness it.
It's a horrible and sad story. I feel very sorry for the widow.
I think frida makes a good point -- it could well be that this was "suicide by cop"... that certainly occurred to me.
I once did law enforcement, when I was in the navy. The truth is, what they cops did was by the books, as far as I can tell. So it's hard for me to blame them. I think it's just a really sad situation.
Actually, in my professional capacity, I know it to be the case that many indvidiuals in law enforcement (cops and firefighters) are trained to handle those who suffer from delusions, and have mental health issues. I am not sure about the air marshals, however. It seems as if this tragedy could have been avoided with proper training. I still do not understand what the defense would be for not detecting a bomb by the metal detectors, airport screeners.
You can make a gun out of a book of matches and a pencil. You can make a bomb in a matter of minutes. Out of everyday items. The Anarchist Cookbook, James Bond Handbook, The CIA handbook... These are old but the recipes still work.
It is department policy to negotiate as long as the populous is out of danger.If not, you see an opening take it. Take them out.
Been there done that, on both sides of the mental health fence. It's unfortunate the guy had to die. The marshalls surely don't want a death if they can avoid it, but sometimes vision is a little blurred at the time. If he was truly bi-polar going through a manic episode, then how come he was not noticed at the gate, or by someone before all of this had to happen? Sad all the way around, but as is the norm...common good is usally more important than one man.
I know, the Israeli Police have a shoot to kill policy with suspected suicide bombers..because shooting in the leg won't stop the guy from pressing a button an blowing himself up.
As much as I feel bad for this poor guy and his family..I can't fault the marshals either.
I do not know how air marshalls are trained.
But consider for a moment that he DID have a bomb. Is it unlikely that a bomb could get past TSA? Yes, it is highly unlikely. But is it impossible? No, it is not out of the realm of possibility.
This was not a case where the man was out on the streets. This was in a major airport. Out on the street, people can disperse - in an airport they really can not disperse.
And the marshalls could not just take the wife's word that her husband was bi-polar and not on medication. What if this was just part of some act?
There have been many times when people have freaked out on an airplane that had FAMs aboard - yet this is the first shooting. I think the marshalls are trained to only drop their cover when they think that there is a threat, and then to only take actions necessary to secure the plane.
If it can be assumed that nothing will get past a checkpoint, there is no reason to have air marshalls. But the reality is that it IS possible for stuff to get past security checkpoints. It would require an inside job, but it is possible.
The marshalls did not have time to think very much. They had seconds to act. That is all.
While it is tragic, I do not think that the FAMs can be faulted.
i think the danger of a potentional terrorist is that if he isn ´t "paralysed", he can still make some movement to realise the explosion. i mean,i think there have been precedents,i think one of them quite recently this week in israel shopping centre near of tel aviv...i think the policeman just injured the guy,to the leg or so, and so the guy managed to realise the explosion.
to q no.1:"how would he have been able to board an airplane with a bomb, that would not have been detected"
when i try to reason it, think if the responsible person (policeman) hears "bomb",they take it in a broader sence,like any potential danger. like allert,the person is dangerous,clearly shows his intention..
it´s just that no matter how terrible it sounds,and how much i support maximal standards of protecting ALL human rights,
i´m not sure if- in the time of terrorism everywhere- if it´s realistic to ask policemen to think longer and deeper.
it´s very interresting to read all your reactions,claiming mostly the policemen´s reaction was wrong..and i belive if the widow goes to trial,she´ll be succesful and everyone will feel that the justice exists...but...but i´m not sure if it´s correct.
if the wife knew him,if she knew his bad moments, she should have controlled his pills before flying by plane,or inform the crew before...
"common good"..yes,dealing with terroristic attacs,i prefere common good.i see no way how to save an individual under these circumstances.i see no way how to GUESS if the guy realy has a bomb or not. for me,it´s a hasard(danger) to allow them to guess. i see no way how to recognise if the wife is a desperate woman,or if she is lying.there´s no space for me for that,because we´re talking about seconds.
(ps.barbara,thank you for posting to my blog a long long time ago,i´m not blogging very often so i checked your blog right now and didn ´t expect at all what an interresting discussion you have here!!thank you:)
A horrible tragedy, for sure. However, the officers were faced with a gentleman yelling that he had a bomb, he would not stop, and he was reaching inside a bag.
In this case, they had no time to "hope" he was bluffing. Their lives, and the lives of those on the plane were being compromised. They had no choice.
Barb....I just read where you was asking how could someone board a plane with a bomb and not be detected...My Mother in law just came back from England Oct 28th of this year...she went over for a month....to see her daughter and grandkids....I posted about this on my blog back in Oct....because it bothered me....Her boarding pass was in a GUYS name....and no one ever caught it....Going or coming back....Now how is that....if they're checking everything out...like they're suppose to be.....I know it's not a bomb....But the point is....they're suppose to be checking this stuff....You have just regular people checking this stuff out....maybe they was slacking that day.....or sick....when someone comes thru with a bomb.....You just never know....Just my 2 cents!!!
Have a great day!!!!
This doesn't make sense no matter how you look at it. It's an insult to my intelligent to say a man could get on an airplane in these days and time with a bomb --- what happened to all that security, or are they fooling us about the security. I don't fly ... if I can't get there by car or walking, I stay at home.
We could play "what if/why not" all day, but the facts are this
a man with mental problems is allowed to board a plane. his wife is not reponsible enough to make sure he takes his meds. he gets crazy, starts ranting about a bomb. marshals shoot him.
the marshals did what should have been done. What should they do, call the airport where he got on the plane and talk to the screener who let him pass to see if he DID have a bomb?
Imagine if he DID hve a bomb and killed countless people on that plane...
Why should we blame everyone else, instead of this guy who started the terrors of that day?
This discussion is quite interesting. When we weigh and balance, we must look at the protection of everyone. My son and I had the same discussion, and he said, as many of you, that there were valid points on both sides. Neverhtheless, when threatned with a bomb in this day and age, it is not unreasonable to respond with the use of deadly force.
The air marshalls have been put on administrative leave. I hope a through investigation is done of this entire incident. Yesterday, it was determined that the man was shot on the tarmac, and not on the airplane.
A lesson, to be learned for the future, will hopefully surface.
the officers had no time and limited information. They acted within policy. What if he had bipolar disorder but had been carrying a bomb? What if the wife had been a diversion to delay decisive action.
It all went down so fast I would not even begin to second guess them. All I can expect is they acted within the law and policy.
This story broke my heart. I'm sad not only for the man, but for his wife. Can you imagine witnessing your husband murdered? I'm sure she was frantic but everything happened so quickly, it was over before she could stop it.
I was up late flipping thru stations on the Tv....and caught the last 5 minutes of a show called US Marshal's....and the training they go thru to become one....It was on TLC....they usually always rerun them shows...it's a show everybody might want to see!!!
Have a great dayu!!!!
Now I'm hearing that the man never said "bomb", according to the passengers. That changes everything...
These marshals are trained individuals who could've aimed at this man's limbs.
These men are trained to stop the situation... head shot or body mass.
it's not like the movies where a cowboy shoots the gun out of a guys hand...
as for the passengers who said they didn't hear bomb, if the situation happened outside the plane, how would they?
There are many inconsistincies and unanswered questions about this man's death and how it occurred. There is not agreement on whether he said he had a bomb, whether he was shot on board the airplane or not, whether he reached into a backpack before he ran on the tarmac. The only certainty is that he sufferred from a mental illness, which makes his death even that more tragic.
Great post Barbara!
Great discussions the rest of you.
I do live in the Miami/Ft Lauderdale area, and as AP3 wrote, up to this date I have not seen one single passenger interviewed saying they heard the man saying the word bomb.
The extra-official bomb reports comes from the news media who get their report from the officials at the scene. The claim of a bomb is an instant justificatioin for what happened.
Furthermore, the official statement, which news people were complaining took too long to be handed out, has a Miami-Dade police official state that "the dept has interviewed witnesses who confirm the Marshall's version. 'The officer' would not say whether the witnesses were crew or passengers" ( USA Today Dec9th, p4.
I have seen and heard passengers interviewed on local channels say the man was running towards the front of the aircraft with the wife behind 'yelling' something to the concern he was ill and had not taken his medication.
The F. Air Marshalls (FAM) new program came in light of the events of 9/11. Their main purpose to avoid someone taking over a plane and using it as a weapon.
They are instructed NOT to intervene in any other sort of events UNLESS there is a serious threat.
Unlike the rest of us whose idea of a bomb comes from movies, they know a backpack on the front of the aircraft is not going to blow a whole plane (i.e. Eric Rudolph and the Atlanta Olympic bombing.. I was there and heard the explosion, it affected one of the exit areas, not the stage in front of it).. much less if they guy is already on the jetbridge (see graphic USA Today Dec 8th).
And then there is the question some of you bring up, how can they get it through security, and if they get lucky, how much explosives could they carry and how much damage can they cause?
Their training should tell them that no one runs out of a plane planning to detonate a bomb. He was already sitting on the back of the airplane; he could have already detonated a bomb. Who detonates a bomb on the run? If im on the plane and find a bomb at the entrance, if I could I would take it outside to the jetbridge.. let it explode there..
Almost everyday, at every single airport, with every single airline, you will find lunatics doing what this gentleman did and worst. This is my first account experience.
The 'suicide' theory is cancelled. There are only about 10% of flights guarded by covert FAMs. NO way for this man to know that by started running towards the front of the plane he would ended up encountering FAMs who were willing to take upon this 'perceived' threat on the ground.. Another thing.. the FAM program tries to guard mostly against tranatlantic flight because of the amount of fuel in them just like on 9/11; flights to Washington, DC, New York, good terrorist targets. Miami to Orlando...? I bet not high on the list of those flights, which makes me wonder, why were they there?
This situation bothers me. An innocent man who came from a mission in Ecuador is dead. It could be you, or me; while not bi-polars, I have seen many episodes like this happen to regular people.
While FAMs need to make quick decisions, a man who have already boarded a plane, running to get out of it, and being shot in a jetbridge, possibly from behind, is not, IMHO, a terrorist profile.
If we were to believe the reports,that they thought this to be a credible threat, why havent we read reports that the other Marshall involved tried to stop the wife.. who under the scenario,was also a threat.
I know they train to shoot to kill because otherwise you might give a suspect the opportunity to detonate a bomb if they do have one. And Im ok with that. As long as it is necessary!!!
I have read articles where the officials are supporting the marshalls by saying 'they acted according to their training'. Did you know that in order to achieve the number of FAMs needed in place by the date congress mandated, their training program got cut from 12 weeks to 5, including the markmanship training? (Miami Herald Dec 8th) If so, their training is very flawed.
But, at the end of the day we ask, is it just window dressing or real protection? If you were a terrorist, would you be planning another plane attack? Unlikely; I dont even carry my nail clippers and all of the shoes I have bought since then are slip-ons so that I can take them on and off at security, so that Im not hassled at all. Why would someone waste their time and money in such a risky proposition?
TM
PS Sorry for the long comment
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