http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/07/airpla ... index.html


MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A federal air marshal shot and killed a 44-year-old U.S. citizen on a boarding bridge at Miami International Airport after he said he had a bomb, several sources familiar with the incident told CNN.

Flight 924 was in Miami on a stopover during a flight from Medellin, Colombia, to Orlando, Florida, when the man said there was a bomb in his carry-on luggage, a Department of Homeland Security official said.

He was confronted by a team of federal air marshals, who pursued the man down the boarding bridge and ordered him to get on the ground, the official said. ( Watch scene after the incident -- 1:31)

When the man appeared to reach into his baggage, at least one shot was fired by the marshals, wounding the man, the official said, adding that the marshals' actions were consistent with their training. Officials said later that the man had died of his injuries.

Upon investigation, there was no evidence that the man had a bomb, an official said.

This is the first time an air marshal has fired a weapon on or near an airplane, a federal official said.

Footage from the scene shows armed SWAT team members carrying rifles outside the aircraft, along with more than a dozen of police vehicles. Paramedics were standing on the stairway to the aircraft.

The Boeing 757, which can hold about 180 passengers, was due to take off for Orlando at 2:18 p.m. ET. It had arrived in Miami at 12:16 p.m. ET, according to the airline's Web site. No other flights at Miami International were disrupted Wednesday, an airport official said.


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Should be interesting to see how this plays out after everything calms down. My guess is they will find no bombs or drugs, which will start to debate about the "shoot to kill" tactics... i could be wrong though.

If you claim to have a bomb on an airplane, you should be killed. No if's and's or but's. DEAD.

If you go on an airplane and claim to have a bomb, you should expect the air marshalls to confront you. If you then reach into the luggage where you claim the bomb is located, you should expect to get shot. Especially on a flight coming from Medallin, a city famous for Pablo Escobar and kidnapping.

First time ever an air marshall has used their weapon.

easily

I don't think it will be the last, either.

I wonder how exactly this guy said he had a bomb. Did he scream, "I'VE GOT A BOMB!!!"?

Or was he just being a complete dumbass and muffled something about a bomb and then panicked and ran away when he was confronted?

for all we know, he had his Ipod on and was singing along to Calm Like A Bomb by RATM....

He ran on to the plane, though. Either way, the shooting was justified, as long as it happened the way it's being reported.

You were acting like a maniac, and you threatened her with a bomb!
I said I didn't have a bomb!
You said "bomb."
I said, "It's not like I have a bomb."
You said "bomb" on an airplane.
What's wrong with saying "bomb" on an airplane?
You can't say "bomb."
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb! You gonna arrest me?
You assaulted an airline employee
What if I was a bombardier?
I got enough to put you away for a few years! - Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb!

this sounds like a fancy way of suicide.

Come on, there's got to be someone here who's going to defend this asshole and blame this on the alleged excesses of the Patriot Act and how this is further evidence that we're sliding toward a totalitarian regime. Bueller? Anyone?

Someone is really not that stupid?

Heh, heh, that's quite presumptuous . . .

Damn you... you beat me to it!

MSNBC is reporting that it turned into some kind of heated confrontation.

No weapons or bombs were found on him.

As the man started marching off, his wife was screaming that he was bipolar and hadn't taken his medication. That's what MSNBC is reporting anyways.

Doesn't matter. Of they thought he could have a bomb, they had to act as if he had one. For all they know, his wife could be in on the plot.

Yeah, it's an awful tragedy if he did actually have a mental disease, but I still think the air marshalls acted correctly.

You guys are really disappointing me . . .

C'mon, we have to at least have SOMETHING to base our "he shouldn't oughta done that" arguments on. Interview w/ a passenger ... something.

The mentally ill shouldn't forfeit responsibility if they choose to go off their meds...