Massachusetts man pleads guilty to attack on Boston flight with broken spoon

By CNN Newsource

Published May 15, 2025 10:10 AM

By Veronica Haynes

LEOMINSTER, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A 34-year-old Massachusetts man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he attempted to open an emergency exit door while aboard a Boston-bound flight and then tried to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon.

Francisco Severo Torres, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon.

The incident happened on March 5, 2023, on a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. The plane was about 45 minutes from Boston when the crew received an alarm that a side door on the aircraft was disarmed, according to court documents.

Francisco Severo Torres in court Francisco Torres, man accused of threatening, attacking passengers on United flight, held for mental evaluation One flight attendant noticed the door’s locking handle had been moved. Another flight attendant had noticed that Torres was seen near the door and believed he had moved the handle.

Video taken by a passenger shows Torres yelling that he would “kill every man on this plane” and “I’m taking over this plane.” Torres is then seen thrusting at one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times.

Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon landing in Boston.

The charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He will be sentenced on July 17.

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