Police probe incident over Indiana skies

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Authorities are looking into an incident where a young man attempted to open the exit door on a regional jet as it made its way to Indianapolis Wednesday night.

A police report states that Abdulaziz Mubarak Alshammari, 20, was questioned for his behavior on American Eagle flight 4305.

Police met the plane as it landed at Indianapolis International Airport at about 10 p.m. Wednesday.

The pilot, capt. James K. Kolostyak, reported hearing someone trying to open the cabin door and saw the interior door warning light come on in the cockpit.

"It was concerning rather than threatening," said Dr. Harry Greenspun who was traveling for business. "Once the guy got in his seat none of us were going to let him out, but we weren't going to overreact and tackle him to the ground."

Alshammari, who was not charged, claimed in the police report to be a student at the University of Indianapolis. A spokesperson at the school says they have no record of him there.

Police stated that the Saudi Arabian man didn’t appear to know what he was doing and spoke broken English.

Passenger Rodney Bailey intervened when he noticed Alshammari’s erratic behavior.

“He tried [to open the door] twice,” Bailey told 24-Hour News 8. “I’ve flown more than two million miles with American Airlines; I’ve never seen anything like this. I felt like my life flashed before my eyes.”

“I travel all over the world, I’m not going to die over a corn field in Indiana,” Bailey said he was thinking at the time.

The police report stated: "T.S.A. would not respond to the scene."

Jim Fotenos, a TSA Spokesperson said in a statement to 24 Hour News 8:

“TSA was notified of the incident onboard American Eagle flight 4305 from John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Indianapolis International Airport. The flight landed safely and local law enforcement responded. TSA monitored the situation and was satisfied
with the actions taken by local and federal law enforcement.”