Law enforcement officers arrested a passenger at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport last Thursday after he was restrained with duct tape during a flight that was diverted to Maryland due to an in-flight disturbance.
Arthur Layne Lundeen, 67 years old, was taken into custody after the American Airlines aircraft made an unscheduled landing at the airport. Prosecutors have charged Lundeen with two misdemeanors: assault and disorderly conduct.
New video footage obtained by TMZ.com shows multiple police officers surrounding Lundeen while he remained seated on the aircraft. The officers spoke with the passenger before removing the duct tape that had been used to restrain him during the flight. According to an eyewitness who spoke to TMZ.com, officers quickly tore off the tape and forced Lundeen to stand. The entire arrest process, from boarding the plane to removing the passenger, took approximately 20 minutes.
The incident began during what had been a two-hour conversation between Lundeen and another passenger seated beside him in first class. Lundeen was sitting next to a rabbi, and the pair had been discussing religion when the situation escalated dramatically.
Sources told TMZ.com that Lundeen began shouting anti-gay remarks and directing racial slurs, including the n-word, at a Black flight attendant. The passenger also allegedly struck the person seated next to him and hit that individual's computer.
When the behavior became unmanageable, passengers and flight attendants worked together to restrain Lundeen using duct tape. The restraint was extensive, with tape securing his head to the seat. Video from the incident shows Lundeen yelling at people around him while restrained, repeatedly making vulgar comments.
Passengers aboard the aircraft reported widespread alarm at witnessing Lundeen taped to his seat while continuing to shout. The flight had originated in Texas and was bound for New Jersey before the crew made the decision to divert to Maryland.
The diversion to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport allowed law enforcement to board the aircraft and take Lundeen into custody without further incident. The misdemeanor charges he now faces carry potential penalties that will be determined through the court process.