The American Airlines passenger who was put in a headlock and thrown off a flight for yelling an anti-Semitic slur at a flight attendant has been pictured. Shail Patel, 29, was arrested after his filmed outburst on flight 2506 from Tampa International Airport to Philadelphia on Tuesday. The Florida resident appeared drunk - with bloodshot eyes and reeking of alcohol - before unleashing a hateful rant on his fellow passengers, according to the affidavit seen by The New York Post. Patel allegedly began showing unhinged behavior as soon as he boarded the plane, screaming and cursing at passengers. A flight attendant used the aircraft's public address system to ask if any off-duty police officers were on board who could help restrain Patel. Tampa Police said six off-duty law enforcement officers (heroes) stepped in and took drunk Shail Patel off the America Airlines Flight to Philadelphia, "LET'S ROLL BOYS".
Shail Patel 20109 NOB OAK AVE TAMPA FL, 6' 0" TALL AND 230 LBS. Federal criminal charges could and should apply to Shail Patel for making terroristic threats "to take down this airplane with everyone on it" while the external doors were closed. According to Title 49 U.S. Code 46501(1), after passengers have boarded and the external doors are closed, an aircraft is considered to be “in flight.” Federal law prohibits interfering with aircraft crew or physically assaulting or threatening to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft. Passengers are subject to civil penalties for such misconduct, which can threaten the safety of the flight by disrupting or distracting cabin crew from their safety duties. Additionally, federal law provides for criminal fines and imprisonment of passengers who interfere with the performance of a crewmember’s duties by assaulting or intimidating that crewmember. Crimes committed aboard an aircraft are normally subjected to the jurisdiction of federal courts and almost all offenses involving an airplane will be prosecuted under federal statutes within 49 U.S. Code Chapter 465. Crimes in the air are usually prosecuted in federal court and can carry substantial fines and lengthy prison sentences.
§ 2706. Terroristic threats. (a) Offense defined.--A person commits the crime of terroristic threats if the person communicates, either directly or indirectly, a threat to:
(1) commit any crime of violence with intent to terrorize another ("to take down this airplane with everyone on it");
(2) cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly or facility of public transportation (airplane); or
(3) otherwise cause serious public inconvenience, or cause terror (on airplane) or serious public inconvenience with reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror or inconvenience.
