A California-based pilot, Jonathan J.
Dunn, has been indicted following allegations of threatening to shoot the captain of a plane he was co-piloting, according to KTVU.
The indictment was handed down by a Utah grand jury on October 18, in response to an incident that occurred on August 22, 2022.
Dunn, who was serving as a first officer for Delta Airlines at the time, reportedly issued the threat in response to a potential diversion of the flight due to a passenger's medical emergency. Dunn was authorized to carry a firearm under the Federal Flight Deck Officer program of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a program designed to safeguard cockpits from potential hijackers or intruders in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
The indictment accuses Dunn of disrupting the crew of a commercial airline flight by "using a dangerous weapon to assault and intimidate the Captain." His arraignment was postponed due to his concurrent role as an Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonel at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
In a statement earlier this month, the TSA confirmed that Dunn was promptly removed from the Federal Flight Deck Officer program and his equipment confiscated upon learning of his actions. The TSA further clarified that pilots must undergo vetting and training at a federal law enforcement center in New Mexico to qualify as a flight deck officer. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, hold a current pilot's license, complete a one-week training course, and regularly pass a firearms test, as reported by the Associated Press.
Delta Airlines, in a statement to Fox Business, refrained from commenting on the ongoing investigation but confirmed that Dunn is no longer employed with the airline. Interfering with a flight crew in flight is a serious offense, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Court records indicate that Dunn's arraignment is scheduled for November 16 in U.S. district court in Salt Lake City.
In light of the incident, the Air Force has restricted Dunn's access to "sensitive information." The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment beyond the information provided in the indictment.
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