On Sunday, March 5, 2023, a passenger attempted to attack a flight attendant with a broken spoon about 45 minutes prior to the arrival of United Airlines Flight UA2609. The cabin worker is said to have been stabbed, while other passengers intervened and were able to prevent worse.
The domestic flight, operated by Boeing 757-200 with registration N67134, was en route from Los Angeles to Boston. About 45 minutes before landing, a man from Massachusetts is said to have tried to open an airplane door. When a flight attendant then wanted to question her, he attacked her. The "unruly PAX" is said to have stabbed the cabin crew member with a broken spoon.
The cabin crew initially became aware of an alarm, as a door on the starboard side, which is located between first and economy class, was unlocked. When a flight attendant examined the door, he found that the door latch handle had been pushed a quarter to the unlocked position. The emergency slider had also been brought into the defused position. After the flight attendant locked the door again, he reported the incident to the captain.
Another flight attendant realized that Torres had been near the door and believed he was the one tampering with the door. The crew approached Torres for questioning, and the man requested video evidence to prove it had been him. Then the stabbing attack follows. Other passengers stepped in, pushed the unruly PAX to the ground and were able to prevent worse from happening.
United Airlines said of the incident, "Thanks to the prompt response of our crew and customers, a customer was held back after it became a safety issue on a flight from Los Angeles to Boston. The flight landed safely and was received by the police. No serious injuries were reported. We have zero tolerance for any form of violence on our flights and this customer will be grounded from flying United until the investigation is complete. We are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigations."