‘I’m going to kill everyone’: Woman tells United passenger’s violent outburst

East Greenwich, RI (WPRI) — Lisa Olsen was on a flight from Los Angeles back to the East Coast with her husband and teenage daughter when another passenger started yelling incoherently.

“He was rambling about being Balthazar and his father being Dracula,” a resident of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, told Nextar’s WPRI.

The man’s unusual behavior escalated just before the United Airlines flight landed at Boston Logan International Airport.

“The man got louder and louder and started saying, ‘I’m going to kill everyone on the plane,'” Olsen said. “‘I’m going to kill all the men. The women and children are safe.'”

Flight attendants were already suspicious of the man before the explosion. Prosecutors said a man identified as Francisco Severo Torres, 33, was seen near the emergency door just before receiving a warning that the cockpit had been disarmed.

Shortly after re-secured the door, one of the flight attendants confronted Torres about it. Torres denied having been near the door and reportedly asked if there were any cameras on the plane that could prove tampering.

“He got very defensive,” recalls Olsen. “He said, ‘How do you know it’s me?'”

According to prosecutors, flight attendants determined that Torres was a threat and urged the captain to land the plane as soon as possible.

At that point, Torres reportedly got up and ran to two flight attendants who were standing near the emergency door.According to prosecutors, Torres Tried to stab a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon.

“As he ran down the aisle, 10 to 15 men on the plane got up and started chasing him,” she said. “[The men] Tackled him and restrained him…he was still unsteady and screaming and it took four guys to sit on him.

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Flight attendants tried to restrain the man with zip ties, but they were unsuccessful, Olsen said.

“They tied his legs and hands with zip ties, but he got out of the first set,” said Olsen. “I don’t know if they didn’t tighten them tight enough or if he was too unstable.”

“The flight attendants put a different set on him and the passenger took off his belt and handed it over and started helping with the restraint,” she continued.

Olsen said she and the other passengers remained calm despite the intensity of the situation.

“He was fighting the whole time, so they were tired,” Olsen said. “Every time one man got visibly tired of him, the next man in line took his place.”

“People were clapping and thanking each man as he came back. [to their seat]’ she continued.

Shortly after the plane landed, Torres was taken into custody.

Olsen didn’t know that Torres had tried to open the emergency door before attacking the flight attendants.

“It’s terrifying that he was going to do this on purpose,” she said. increase.”

Olsen and her family were initially shaken by the ordeal, but she told WPRI she was grateful for the quick thinking of her fellow passengers who brought the situation under control.

A United Airlines spokesperson said there were no serious injuries during the flight. told nextstarThe company is cooperating with law enforcement investigations.

“Violent behavior of any kind on board will not be tolerated and this customer will be banned from flying with United pending an investigation,” the statement said.

Torres has been charged with using dangerous weapons to interfere or attempt to interfere with flight attendants and crew members. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.

Jeremy Tanner contributed to this report.