Photo: Shutterstock A passenger has pleaded guilty to a violent attack aboard a commercial flight from Seattle, Washington, to Las Vegas, Nevada, after assaulting another traveler with a homemade weapon during the flight, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal prosecutors said Julio Alvarez Lopez admitted to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the January 24, 2024, incident.
According to court documents, Lopez repeatedly punched, struck and stabbed another passenger using a homemade weapon made from three pens bound together with hair bands. The victim suffered injuries to the body and around the eye, requiring stitches.
After the attack, Lopez walked toward the front of the aircraft before being restrained by others on board for the remainder of the flight.
Harry Reid International Airport. Photo: Kit Leong / Shutterstock.comThe aircraft landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, where Lopez was taken into custody by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
During an interview with investigators, prosecutors said Lopez admitted he had armed himself before the attack, selected the victim because he believed the passenger had been looking at him in a harassing manner, and intended to kill him by forcing the weapon into his head.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2026. His sentence will be determined by a federal judge after considering U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.