Unruly Passenger Repeatedly Tased, Removed From Miami Flight
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – An unruly passenger was removed from a Miami to Chicago flight after being tased by Miami-Dade Police, according to authorities.
Warning: there are curse words in this Twitter video
#AA2246 - from my POV pic.twitter.com/JvLugLLKCs
— Jabari Ennis (@PoleVaultDream) April 23, 2018
Another passenger on the plane posted video of the incident on Twitter.
"He was just being really argumentative, kind of combative with everyone," said Kaitlin Water, a passenger who watched the chaos unfold.
According to American Airlines, there was a "disagreement" between Jacob Garcia and another passenger while Flight 2446 was still at the gate at Miami International Airport.
The "disagreement", according to the arrest affidavit started when Garcia touched a female passenger inappropriately without her permission.
Garcia was moved to another seat, but he started to scream and insult the female passenger and her boyfriend, states the police report.
When flight attendants asked Garcia to get off the plane, he refused.
According to the airline, the crew followed procedure and began deplaning.
When Miami-Dade Police tried to remove Garcia from the plane, he locked his legs around a seat and refused.
An officer was forced to tase Garcia as they struggled to get him off the plane, according to the police.
Video shows Garcia screaming at officers saying, "What's the reason I'm being removed from this plane," and threatening officers to "try it and see what happens."
The report states the officer deployed his taser 10 times, "due to Mr. Garcia's actions and the close quarters of the engagement, Officer Desorches was unable to holster his ECW (Electronic Control Weapon) which caused the number of cycles."
When Garcia still refused to walk off the plane, officers carried him out all while yelling at the officers and other passengers who cheered as he was removed.
Once in the terminal, police say, he collapsed to the ground in an effort to impede the officers' efforts. At point, police say, Garcia was able to reach for and grab an officer's handgun. The officer was able to knock the gun from his hand but Garcia "once again reached for the weapon." He didn't get it the second time.
The woman who has raised Garcia since he lost his mom at the age of 12 says the videos are hard to watch.
"I was shocked," said Phyllis Clark. "It wasn't reality to me because that's not Jacob. That's not what he would be like. He's a vet or training to be a vet. That's been his life-long dream."
Garcia was arrested and charged with Battery, Disorderly Conduct, and Resisting Officer among other things.
The plane left an hour late.