The Political Teen has just posted that a passenger on an American Airlines jet threatened to pull a bomb out on an airplane at Miami International Airport, but was shot before he could do so:
A team of air marshals then proceeded to surround the suspect. The suspect attempted to run away and was shot on the jet way. This was the first time an air marshal has discharged their weapon since 9/11.
Two positives to take from this incident:
- Someone — the FAA, President Bush, the Federal Air Marshals, or just the entire War on Terror — deserves many kudos that this is the first time that a Federal Air Marshal has had to shoot someone on a plane since the terror attacks on 9/11.
- I’m thankful that the Air Marshal was there, and that he had the training and resolve to shoot the could-have-been terrorist. Hopefully Al Jazeera will show this story, as a little reminder that the next time an Islamofascist terrorist pulls so much as a box cutter out on an airplane, he’ll be dead before the pilot even knows there was a problem.
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MORE — According to CNN, 44-year old Rigoberto Alpizar did not actually have the bomb he claimed to have.
I don’t care if he actually had the bomb or not. The man claimed to have a bomb, did not comply with Air Marshal orders to put down the bomb, and then reached into the bag he claimed held the bomb. He had to be shot. Although, I’m sure the ACLU will be holding a press conference shortly to announce that they represent the family of the dead man, and they intend to sue the Federal Air Marshals.
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UPDATE II — This story from the AP reports that the man’s wife claims that he was mentally ill (bi-polar) and had not taken his medication.
If this turns out to be true, then it is a tragedy. But it is still a necessary and justified shooting. I would rather the Air Marshals err in this instance than to have done nothing and be wrong.
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UPDATE III — of course, for the best continuing round up of reactions and developments in this story, check with Michelle Malkin.
Welcome PajamasMedia readers (likely via the Instapundit). While you’re here, take a look around. And if you’re so inclined — and feeling in the Christmas spirit — feel free to drop a vote for UrbanGrounds in the 2005 WebLog Awards.
“If this turns out to be true, then it is a tragedy.”
True, but not as much as you might think. Bipolar patients are some of the worst at medication compliance, and some of the worst to have to put up with. They are grandiose, manipulative, and many purposefully stop taking their medication when they sense a manic phase coming on–because they love the sense of limitless energy (that’s how they perceive their manic phases–while those around them experience them [in the patient] as periods of fitful or non-existent sleep; incoherently pressured speech; out of control sprees of every ilk; including sex, spending money, wild schemes of all sorts; in short, a living hell).
So, yes, it would be tragedy, but one that to some extent was almost certainly foreseeable and not completely devoid of the patient’s responsibility.
BTW, I’ve voted for you in the Weblog Awards–every chance I’ve had.
Left by Jeff H on December 7th, 2005 at 8:49 pm