Gonzalez

BACKGROUND

Shortly after take-off, Gonzalez, who was seated in the last row of the airplane, stood up, complained of heart problems, and requested oxygen from a flight attendant. Flight attendant Patrick Poulin informed Gonzalez that the captain would be notified and oxygen would be made available, but Gonzalez refused to sit down and walked up the aisle, demanding that the plane land.

Just as Poulin was retrieving an oxygen tank, flight atten- dant Nancy Castillo noticed Gonzalez in the aisle and thought he might need medical attention. As she approached, Gonza- lez said that he was having a heart attack. Castillo tried to calm him down, but Gonzalez continued toward the front of 7954 UNITED STATES v. GONZALEZ the plane, claiming that he needed a forward seat and asking that the plane, which had just taken off, land.

Gonzalez became increasingly agitated, saying: “We have to get on the ground. We need to land. I need to get this air- craft on the ground.” To Castillo, Gonzalez appeared “very angry,” and “very upset.” Gonzalez then began opening over- head bins and attempted to take out the luggage. Castillo heard him say, “I have a bomb,” and she ran up the aisle…