A recent video captured the harrowing moments when a Southwest Airlines passenger punched a flight attendant in the face and knocked out two of her teeth.
CBS News reported the the incident was confirmed by an email from Southwest, who outlined the context of the incident and denounced the passenger's violent behavior.
"Our reports indicate that a passenger physically assaulted a flight attendant upon landing on Flight #700 from Sacramento to San Diego Sunday morning."
"The passenger repeatedly ignored standard inflight instructions and became verbally and physically abusive upon landing. Law enforcement officials were requested to meet the flight upon arrival, and the passenger was taken into custody."
Apparently, the plane was on the ground but still taxiing on the runway when the passenger chose to remove her seatbelt.
When the flight attendant told her to stay seated with her seatbelt fastened, things escalated.
Video obtained by CBS News shows the moment a Southwest Airlines flight attendant was punched by a passenger after asking her to keep her seat belt fastened during a flight from Sacramento to San Diego Sunday. https://cbsn.ws/3bTKMZh\u00a0pic.twitter.com/oOYvPdwCFj— CBS News (@CBS News) 1622145614
And while the video clearly captured the intensity of the blow to the attendant's face, the president of the local flight attendant union, Lyn Montgomery, also confirmed the extent of the damages.
In a letter to Southwest CEO Gary Kelly, Montgomery stated:
"This past weekend, one of our flight attendants was seriously assaulted, resulting in injuries to the face and a loss of two teeth."
Nonetheless, the violent passenger had her defenders.
A woman could be heard repeatedly yelling, "she came at her first," apparently suggesting the flight attendant started the dispute and deserved what happened.
Comments on Twitter were outraged by the entire thing.
No matter who started it. You don\u2019t punch someone in the face, unless you are just trash. The woman would have gotten a lot further if she just complained to the airline. Now she is at fault. Our country is slowing going to burn to the ground.— \u269c\ufe0f\ud835\udcd9\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcf7\ud835\udcf7\ud835\udcf2\ud835\udcef\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcfb\u269c\ufe0f (@\u269c\ufe0f\ud835\udcd9\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcf7\ud835\udcf7\ud835\udcf2\ud835\udcef\ud835\udcee\ud835\udcfb\u269c\ufe0f) 1622152829
Guess she don\u2019t know that assaulting a flight attendant is a federal offense?— Jay Alexander (@Jay Alexander) 1622149867
She needs to be charged with assault, endangering a flight, fined by FCC, banned by ALL airlines for life!— Ross Keck (@Ross Keck) 1622146485
What is happening in America? Why are people turning into violent monsters? I feel so bad for the flight attendant and the little boy.— CathyO (@CathyO) 1622160896
When the plane did finally stop after the incident, the passenger was escorted off the plane by police officers.
According to CBS 8, in San Diego, where the plane landed, the passenger was arrested on suspicion of felony battery causing serious bodily injury.
She was booked into Las Colinas jail in Santee, California and released on bail for $35,000.
