Passengers overpower teenager ‘brandishing shotgun’ on Australia flight: ‘You don’t think, you act’
Avalon airport in Victoria shut and flights cancelled after incident
FrankLin
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A teenager armed with a gun was arrested for breaching a security fence and attempting to board a commercial flight before being tackled by passengers.
Police were called to the Avalon airport in Victoria, Australia, on Thursday after the 17-year-old, allegedly armed with a loaded shotgun, tried to force his way onto a Jetstar flight bound for Sydney.
The teen climbed through a hole in the airport's fence and tried to go up the front stairs into the aircraft’s cabin in a massive breach of security, police said.
Three passengers reportedly noticed the teenager, who was dressed as a maintenance worker, carrying a gun and overpowered him before police arrived. The flight was carrying about 150 passengers. Police did not identify the teen, as is common in cases involving minors.
Passenger Barry Clark tackled the teenager when he became agitated while speaking to a flight attendant. “Before we knew it, a shotgun appeared," Mr Clark told ABC Radio Melbourne. "I was worried about it being shot, so all I could do was push her out of the way, get the gun out of the way, break that gun and throw it down the stairs, and then put him in a hold, throw him to the ground until the police came.”
He said the teenager had “other apparatus on him so I didn’t know what his full intention was", ABC Radio Melbourne reported.
"I didn't want to see that poor girl get shot, do you just gotta do what you gotta do," he added, referring to a flight attendant.
Victoria police superintendent Michael Reid said that detectives were still investigating the teenager’s motive and coordinating with counterterrorism officers but added that it was too early to deem the act terrorism-related.
A bomb squad was also called to the airport after two bags were found inside the teenager’s car, which was later deemed safe.
Mr Reid said the teenager mounted or climbed the front stairs of the airplane. "At that point, passengers have identified the male was carrying a firearm. The male was overpowered by three of the passengers at least. And shortly afterwards, police have arrived and taken that male into custody," he said in a statement. “No doubt this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers of that plane and Victorian police really commend the bravery of those passengers who were able to overpower that male."
The teenager carried ammunition with the shotgun, Mr Reid said. “It is very concerning that a person can firstly breach security, approach an aircraft and make his way potentially close to being inside an aircraft with a firearm. I can’t communicate more clearly how concerning that is,” he said.
Another passenger who tackled the teenager said after everyone had boarded, he heard a "kerfuffle and saw the pilot and this other guy tackling this young boy" wearing a high-vis vest.
“In a split second, the gentleman Barry Clark in 1C saw him and jumped him, tackled him, and got him in a choke lock, disarmed him," the second man, identified only as Woodrow, told ABC.
He said the pilot jumped in along with him and another man came up to "support and hold him down".
Jetstar said it was working with the police and the airport to understand what happened. "The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority and we can confirm there are no reported injuries," an airline spokesperson said.
The Avalon airport was shut to visitors until further notice and all flights scheduled for Thursday evening were cancelled or rerouted.
