Friday 23 September 2022 07:02 AM American Airlines passenger pummeled flight attendant after he was refused a ... trends now
Shocking footage shows the moment an American Airlines passenger attacked a unsuspecting flight attendant - sneaking up behind him and sucker punching the staffer because he was refused a cup of coffee.
The incident transpired on Flight 377 from San Jose del Cabo to LAX on Wednesday after he attempted to relocate to a seat near the first-class cabin, and saw the passenger removed from the plane after it touched down stateside.
Upon arriving at the airport, the suspect - 33-year-old Alexander Tung Cuu Lee of Westminster - was detained on suspicion of interfering with a flight crew.
If found guilty of the offense, a federal felony, Lee - who allegedly threatened the male attendant before the filmed attack - could face up to 20 years in prison.
He is expected to make an initial court appearance in downtown Los Angeles Thursday afternoon.
The incident reportedly started after the suspect started nonsensically mumbling to himself about 'killers' aboard the California-bound plane, reportedly whispering, 'there are 10 killers on the plane.'
At that point, a female flight attendant reportedly went back to address the man with the the male attendant who was attacked joining to assist, passengers said.
Video taken by passenger Barrie Livingstone shows the immediate aftermath of the encounter, with the male flight attendant standing in the aisle in front of the suspect, who is out of view and out of his seat.
Shocking footage shows the moment an American Airlines passenger attacked a unsuspecting flight attendant - sneaking up behind him and sucker punching the staffer aboard a flight from Mexico to Los Angeles
The two seem to exchange words in an apparently tense encounter. Twice, the male attendant asks the disgruntled traveler, 'Are you threatening me?'
Off-screen, the suspect appears to lurch toward the attendant, causing the staffer to say, 'All right, that's it,' before turning his back to move away from the man.
He then turns around and starts heading for the front of the plane - when Lee suddenly attacks.
Gasps can be heard as the unruly passenger, dressed in an orange Hawaiian shirt, sprints toward the unaware staffer from behind in the heart-pounding clip.
The suspect then, while the attendant's back is turned, strikes him in the back of the head with a closed fist.
'Oh, my God!' a passenger can be heard shouting amid the resulting chaos, after the seemingly middle-aged suspect lands the underhanded blow. 'What are you doing?'
Video taken by passenger Barrie Livingstone shows the immediate aftermath of the encounter, with the male flight attendant standing in the aisle in front of the man, who is out of view and out of his seat
The suspect then, while the attendant's back is turned, strikes him in the back of the head with a closed fist, the footage shows
Amid the subsequent commotion, the worker who was attacked can be seen producing a phone to presumably call the authorities, as the man, identified as 33-year-od Westminster resident Alexander Tung Cuu Lee backs off before returning to his seat
Amid the subsequent commotion, the worker who was attacked can be seen producing a phone to presumably call the authorities, as the man backs off while seemingly admiring his handiwork, returning to his seat.
Another crew member can be seen rushing to retrieve a pair of restraint cuffs.
Coincidentally, also on board the plane was a producer for CBS San Diego affiliate KFMB-TV, who said passengers 'helped restrain' the suspect as staffers tied him to his seat with flex cuffs, a zip-tie-like
