In-flight rampage has passengers questioning safety rules

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http://khon.com/khon/displayStory.cfm?storyID=9609

In-flight rampage has passengers questioning safety rules

Gina Mangieri

A man faces federal charges after running toward the cockpit aboard a 
flight bound for Honolulu on Friday night. As KHON2 first reported, 
passengers tackled the man as he neared the front of the plane. 
Passengers aboard that plane say more should be done to empower crew and 
improve safety.

Santiago Lol Tizol is in federal custody after a rampage that injured 
one man and scared dozens on a Northwest flight to Honolulu from Los 
Angeles on Friday. Tizol is a Mexican national who has lived on the Big 
Island, where his criminal record includes two DUIs. No word yet if he 
was on any substances last night.

Passengers say for more than 2 hours, he roamed the aisles, rambled 
about needing medication, and made threatening gestures toward a mother 
and baby.

That's when one father made a plan.

"We got the word around first class that if he makes a move for the 
cockpit door, he's going down, and that's just what happened," said 
passenger Mike Deckard of California, traveling with his wife and two 
young sons. "He made a move for the cockpit door and we were on top of him."

It took 7 passengers to subdue Tizol. He bit one passenger in the process.

"Once I got him back to the middle with the other guy, we were screaming 
for help to get other people up," Deckard said. "There was more 
assistance needed."

The plane landed, and Tizol was arrested.

"Based on what we have so far this does rise to a federal crime," said 
FBI Special Agent Brandon Simpson.

Passengers say they were glad to help but are concerned there wasn't an 
air marshal aboard.

"I fly a lot and I think we need one on every flight," Deckard said. 
"Forget it. I don't care how much it costs me as a traveler to have that 
man sitting on that plane."

Hours before Tizol's charge toward the cockpit, flight attendants 
debated what to do.

"He had some type of cord in his hand, and they were trying to get the 
cord away from him, and trying to make a decision whether they were 
going to subdue him at that point," Deckard said.

The crew didn't opt to restrain him.

"I think the captain should have a lot more power than he has," Deckard 
said. "He should have the ability to restrain an individual that he 
feels is threatening his aircraft, and he shouldn't be held liable for 
that."

Northwest has not yet responded to calls seeking comment, but federal 
agents say the situation was handled appropriately.

"It sounds like things were done by the flight crew, by the pilot, by 
the passengers to the best of their abilities," Simpson said.

"The reality is we've got to take care of one another, and we've got to 
look and be vigilant and look out for these kinds of things," Deckard said.

The suspect makes his first court appearance Monday on a criminal charge 
of interfering with a flight crew. Tizol may also face assault charges 
for biting another passenger during his restraint.

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