Crime & Law
Man Charged With Stabbing 2 Teens With a Fork on Flight From Chicago to Germany
A Lufthansa plane is pictured in a file photo. (iStock)
BOSTON (WCVB) — An man is facing federal charges for allegedly stabbing two teens while on a flight from Chicago to Germany, forcing the plane to divert to Boston, Massachusetts.
Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, is charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, according to federal prosecutors.
On Oct. 25, Usiripalli was on board Lufthansa Flight 431 en route from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany.
According to charging documents, he stabbed a 17-year-old male passenger in the shoulder and another 17-year-old male passenger in the back of the head with a metal fork following meal service.
The victim was sleeping lightly in a middle seat when he allegedly woke up to see Usiripalli standing over him. Usiripalli struck the teen in his left clavicle area with the metal fork before lunging toward the second teen victim, who was seated to his right, according to court paperwork.
Both victims sustained lacerations.
When flight crew members tried restraining Usiripalli, he allegedly formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger.
After that, officials say Usiripalli turned and slapped a female passenger before trying to slap a flight crew member.
Because of the disturbance, the airplane diverted to Logan Airport, where he was immediately taken into custody.
According to federal officials, Usiripalli, an Indian national, was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa, and recently enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies.
However, officials say he presently doesn’t have lawful status in the country.
Usiripalli will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
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