Gunfire hits commercial airliner near cockpit as plane taxis before takeoff — and shocked passengers speak out



A bullet hit a Southwest Airlines plane near the cockpit as the flight was taxiing for takeoff at Dallas Love Field on Friday night, KXAS-TV reported.

An airport spokesperson told the station the gunfire forced an evacuation of the flight, and KXAS added that Dallas Police are looking for whoever pulled the trigger.

'The fact that it hit so very close to the cockpit seems too much of a coincidence.'

Flight 2494 was struck around 8:30 p.m., KXAS said, citing the Federal Aviation Administration, which added that the plane — which was taxiing for takeoff to Indianapolis — returned to the gate where passengers deplaned.

Police told the station they responded to a shooting call around 9:48 p.m., and no one was hurt.

The runway was temporarily closed Friday night while police conducted their investigation, KXAS added.

A Southwest spokesperson told the station the plane was removed from service.

Police said they're leading the investigation, KXAS reported, adding an FBI airport liaison agent has been assigned to work with police "and other federal partners as deemed necessary."

'A rattle outside of the plane'

The station spoke to Shannon and Jamie Lee who were aboard the flight with two of their children; the couple told KXAS everything seemed normal until they heard the pilot on the loudspeaker.

"He said there's a rattle outside of the plane, and they needed to return back to the gate," Jamie Lee recalled to the station.

The couple told KXAS the pilot said the plane needed to be checked to determine if it was functional — then added that the front of the plane was damaged, and everyone would have to deplane.

The Lees told the station everyone was calm.

"We had no idea that something happened," Shannon Lee told KXAS. "We thought Southwest had missed something in an inspection or something, you know ... a normal mechanical issue."

The couple and their two sons didn't find out about the gunfire until they landed in Indianapolis around 2:30 a.m. and encountered a news crew, the station station said.

“I had my son with me. He was sitting in the window seat. ... And we were just in row 13. So, we were pretty close to the cockpit," Shannon Lee added to KXAS.

While the Lees told the station they're grateful for the way Southwest handled the initial sharing of information with passengers, they believe they should have been told what happened before getting on another flight.

"I was surprised that they had shut the runway, not really knowing if there were potentially other shots being fired or where the shot could have even come from," Jamie Lee told KXAS.

Had they known the plane was shot at, the couple told the station they likely would have gone home that night and delayed their flight another day — or flown out of DFW International Airport instead.

"You have to give people a choice, whether they want to put their safety at risk a second time in one night," Shannon Lee told KXAS.

The Lees added to the station that they want to find out what investigators uncover and what safety improvements may result before walking away from one of their favorite airports and airlines.

"We fly quite a bit ... and ... our kids fly on their own," Shannon Lee told KXAS. "So, it is concerning."

The station said Southwest sent the Lees an email apology as well as a voucher toward a future flight.

'Holy cow'

Armen Kurdian — a retired Navy captain and Naval flight officer — told KXAS his "first thought is like, 'Holy cow, somebody just shot a gun, and it hit a commercial aircraft!"

Kurdian added to the station that investigators will start by figuring out where the bullet came from: "So, what was the orientation of the aircraft when it was actually hit? How deep did the bullet penetrate? That'll tell you what its speed was. And that'll give you an idea of the range from which it was fired."

Kurdian added to KXAS they'll also be looking into whether or not the shot was intentional: "The fact that it hit so very close to the cockpit seems too much of a coincidence. The odds of that happening, I think, got to be really, really high."

He also told the station that the damage could be wide-ranging — from something small like an inoperative light switch to something bigger, such as the GPS system not working.

"Now, if [the bullet] hits something more vital, say like a hydraulic system, then the pilots would be alerted rather quickly that there would be ... a pressure drop in the hydraulic system," Kurdian added to KXAS.

He noted to the station that such airliners have a lot of backup systems, and it's likely a bullet to the cockpit would not have caused a crash — but the whole ordeal presents a security vulnerability.

"Did this put an idea into, say, a non-state or a state actor as, 'Oh, maybe this is something we can do to disrupt air travel'?" Kurdian wondered to KXAS.

He added to the station that it would be wise for the airport and other agencies to look into safety measures.

"So, does it mean random sweeps outside of the airport while flight operations are going on?" Kurdian asked the KXAS. "Does it mean that there [are] going to be more physical barricades or basically physical barriers — not just fences but things that you actually can't see through, concrete — around the airport?"

You can view a video report here about the incident.

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Yet another Oakland street takeover with thugs firing guns caught on video; residents complain cops are nowhere to be found



Just about a month ago, five people were shot during an Oakland street takeover. The lawless gatherings also are known as "sideshows," during which motorists block off intersections and drive in circles, peeling out and burning rubber as large crowds look on and record video.

Well, early Saturday morning, Oakland suffered yet another street takeover, this one an hour long that included participants shooting guns into the air — all caught on video. Shellshocked residents complained that police were nowhere to be found, KTVU-TV reported.

'We know that we don’t have enough police officers. ... We can’t afford it.'

You can view a video report here that includes what appears to be cellphone clips showing individuals firing shots into the air during the sideshow.

Residents told KTVU they're afraid stray gunfire may hurt someone — or worse.

"I just heard gunshots, like gunshots coming from all directions, people trying to hide. They just fire up in the air, and you don’t know where it’s going to land," a neighbor who asked for anonymity told the station.

Indeed, the resident was one of several neighbors who told KTVU that such sideshows outside their homes near 98th Avenue and Empire Boulevard have become commonplace.

"Like a whole hour. No police. I didn’t hear no sirens at all. ... Some people were on top of that house's roof. There were fireworks included. There were blue lasers, green lasers," a neighbor revealed to the station.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Police Chief Floyd Mitchell have appeared at recent town halls pledging to do more to combat sideshows, KTVU said. Possible solutions include the use of new technology, such as drones and cameras, and the help of the California Highway Patrol, the station said.

"We know that we don’t have enough police officers," the mayor said one recent town hall, according to KTVU. "We can’t afford it, but that doesn’t mean that we use that as an excuse or reason not to be sure that people feel safe."

Mitchell noted that police are "working hard to try to curb this activity. We have a sideshow detail that goes out every Friday and Saturday," the station said.

Mitchell also said redesigned intersections could help, too, but KTVU reported that residents near Saturday's sideshow said they're still waiting to see city leaders keep their promises on this matter.

"I’ve been here my whole life, and it has changed, it has changed so much, and it’s frustrating because it seems like they don’t care," a neighbor told the station.

KTVU said it reached out to police and the mayor's office for comment on the fears and frustrations about area crime that residents have expressed — but the station said it didn't hear back from either in time for its report.

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Male allegedly tries to burglarize home, struggle ensues with homeowner — but fight ends when alleged intruder meets bullet



Police in Riverton, Wyoming, responded to a reported attempted burglary where shots were reported fired shortly after 11 p.m. Friday in the 900 block of East Park Avenue, police said.

Police said a caller reported a struggle between a possible intruder and a homeowner.

The homeowner is cooperating with the detectives' investigation, police said.

Officers found a male in his 20s suffering from an apparent gunshot wound near the home, police said.

An individual at the scene reported seeing the male attempting to break into the home, police said, adding that the apparent intruder was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

The homeowner is cooperating with the detectives' investigation, police said.

In addition to officers from the Riverton Police Department, law enforcement from the Fremont County Sheriff's Office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, and the Shoshoni Police Department responded to the call as well.

Police said those with information about the incident can call the Riverton Police Department at 307-856-4891 and that more information will be released as the investigation continues.

How are observers reacting?

Commenters on the Riverton Police Department's Facebook page seemed decidedly pleased about the outcome — and frustrated about crime and crime-fighting:

  • "What’s there to investigate?" one commenter asked. "Sounds like a clear case of stand your ground/castle doctrine… the homeowner defended his/her property. Good for them!!! The people of this town are fed up with the crime — you’re going to see more and more of us exercising our rights because something has to give."
  • "Seems that’s what it’s gonna take to make it all stop since the prosecutors won’t prosecute," another user declared.
  • "Good for the homeowner!!!!" another commenter exclaimed. "This is what it is coming [to]. Can I be on this jury???"
  • "... needs to happen more," another user added. "Teach these little Son-of-a- Bi….. what happens when you break the law."
  • "HELL YES!! YOU GO!!!" another commenter wrote.

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Alcohol-fueled family game of Monopoly turns violent as furniture is overturned, gunfire erupts — and man goes to jail on assault with a deadly weapon charge



An alcohol-fueled family game of Monopoly turned violent in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday evening as furniture was overturned, gunfire erupted — and a man was sent to jail on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

What are the details?

Officers were called around 6:25 p.m. about gunshots fired at a home near East Admiral Place and North Mingo Road, KJRH-TV reported.

The caller told dispatch a man — John Armstrong — chased her down a street with a gun and fired shots at her and her father, the station said.

John ArmstrongImage source: David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center

Arriving police quickly arrested Armstrong and began investigating, KJRH said.

Investigators learned a family was hosting a game night and drinking alcohol — and during a Monopoly game a fight broke out between Armstrong and his stepfather, the station said.

The game board was flipped, and furniture was overturned, and a family member told them to take the fight outside, police told KOKI-TV.

When Armstrong got cut in the head, the melee escalated, the station said — and then Armstrong pulled out a gun and chased his stepfather and stepsister down a street, KJRH reported.

Armstrong admitted to police that he fired one round "at the ground” to make sure they stayed away from his mother, KOKI reported.

Officers searched the house for the gun but did not find it, KJRH said, adding that police believe Armstrong hid the gun in the house before his arrest.

Armstrong was booked into jail on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, KTUL-TV reported. He was still behind bars Sunday night, jail data indicates, his bond is set at $25,000, and his next court date is set for Friday.

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Black Lives Matter protesters exchange gunfire with property owners amid march to DC



Black Lives Matter protesters on a march from Milwaukee to Washington, D.C., for the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech exchanged gunfire with Pennsylvania property owners Monday night — and one of the protesters was treated and released from a hospital after being hit by shotgun fire.

State police didn't say who fired first in the incident, which took place in Juniata Township, Bedford County, WTAE-TV reported, but no charges have been filed.

What are the details?

State police said a property owner contacted authorities just after 11 p.m. about a group of people in a private business parking lot, and troopers later learned about 30 activists had been traveling on foot and in vehicles from Milwaukee to Washington, D.C., the station said.

About 11:35 p.m. at the same location — and prior to police arrival — the property owners confronted the activists, police added, according to WTAE. One police official told reporters that "he had asked them to leave, and they wouldn't leave."

Police said things escalated, and gunshots were exchanged between the property owners and the activists, the station said, adding that one of the activists was hit by birdshot from a shotgun, after which he was treated and released from a Johnstown hospital.

A shotgun, shotgun shells, a semi-automatic pistol, and 9mm casings were recovered at the scene, police added, according to WTAE.

Marcher Tory Lowe said the group had parked to organize before they walked up an incline when a man emerged from a house and started shooting at them with a rifle, firing at least seven shots, the station said, citing a Facebook video posted early Tuesday morning.

"He was like three feet away from us shooting, and I told him there was a minister here," Lowe said in the video, WTAE reported.

The group began marching Aug. 4 and planned to arrive in Washington by Friday, the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, the station said, citing a report in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

A WTAJ-TV broadcast referred to the group as affiliated with Black Lives Matter.

Activist group member shot while marching through Bedford County 6pmyoutu.be

Another shooting

In a separate incident a day later, a man was charged with discharging a firearm in the parking lot of a Bedford County hotel where the protesters were staying, authorities told the Cumberland Times-News.

Counter-protesters arrived at the Hampton Inn around 8:30 p.m., and an argument followed, the paper said, adding that a hotel official heard the argument and asked counter-protesters to leave. As they drove away, gunshots were heard, the Times-News said, citing a criminal complaint.

Since one of the activists reportedly livestreamed the incident on Facebook, troopers were able to identify vehicles — and troopers said they later stopped a 1988 Ford truck, in which Jeremy William Decker was the passenger, the paper said.

State police in Bedford charged Decker, 43, with reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, and firearms violations, the Times-News said, adding that authorities seized multiple firearms, including a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, and that six 9mm shell casings were found at the shooting scene.

One member of the group headed to D.C. reported seeing Decker "fire several rounds in the air" through the open window of a truck before leaving the scene, the paper said, adding that Decker is a convicted felon whose online criminal records show felony assault and burglar — and that he's prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Hours before the hotel shooting, a group showed up at the Bedford County Courthouse, reportedly in response to the Milwaukee activists being in the area, the Times-News said, adding that troopers didn't say if Decker was part of that group.

Decker was arraigned by District Judge Kathy Calhoun, of Everett, and lodged in the Bedford County Jail, the paper said.

Shots Fired Outside Hotel In Bedford County youtu.be

Blocking highway traffic

Three members of the same group were arrested last week after "intentionally obstructing vehicular traffic" on US 30, WTAJ-TV said in a separate report, citing Indiana State Police, adding that US 30 is a divided four-lane highway with a 60 mph speed limit.

Police said they received calls last Wednesday about traffic backed up for several miles in the eastbound lanes of US 30, and arriving troopers saw protesters walking along the highway with eight support vehicles traveling at walking speed in the right lane, the station said. At times pedestrians walked in the car lane instead of the shoulder, WTAJ said.

Police said they told the group they could continue marching as long as both pedestrians and vehicles traveled in the highway shoulder — but the group failed to comply, the station said, adding that traffic became backed up for about seven miles.

Frank David Sensabaugh, 30, Eric Ajala, 20, and Tory Lowe, 44 — all from Milwaukee — were arrested for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and obstruction of traffic charges, WTAJ said, adding that Lowe also was charged for misdemeanor resisting law enforcement. All three were taken to the Kosciusko County Jail, the station said, and later released.

Lowe — cited in the WTAE shooting story — livestreamed the incident on Facebook, WTAJ said.