A shirtless man entered the airfield at Los Angeles International Airport early Saturday morning and ran next to an American Airlines plane as it took off before being chased by police.
The early morning incident happened at about 6am at Terminal 4 when the man managed to get onto the runway wearing only a pair of black shorts.
Police said the man had a mental health crisis in the terminal and fled in a rage onto the airport, where officers pursued him and eventually subdued him with a Taser.
“Force was used during an attempt to detain the suspect,” a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said in a statement.
The man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and was later taken to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
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Mateusz Maszczynski
Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant with some of the Middle East’s most prominent airlines and has been flying with some of Europe’s most well-known airlines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert on passenger experience and human-centered stories. With an ear to the ground, Matt’s industry insights, analysis and news coverage are frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.