Personal Safety In Public Places Fatality File

Passenger arrested after seen punching a flight attendant

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A man who was apparently caught on video slugging a flight attendant in the back of the head during an American Airlines flight was arrested after the plane landed in Los Angeles.

Authorities charged Alexander Tung Cuu Le on Thursday with interfering with a flight crew. Le, of Westminster, California, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The incident happened Wednesday on a flight from San Jose del Cabo in Mexico to Los Angeles International Airport. Video posted by another passenger showed a man running up behind a male flight attendant and punching him as the crew member walked in the other direction.

According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, shortly after takeoff Le grabbed another flight attendant by the shoulders and asked for coffee. He was told to wait.

When Le, 33, moved from the back of the plane to an open seat near the first-class cabin, the male flight attendant asked him to return to his assigned seat. Instead, Le stood in a two-fisted fighting stance and swung an arm at the crew member but missed, according to the affidavit.