Passenger removed from Miami to Chicago flight used racial slurs, officials say

Police use Taser on passenger before his arrest

Jacob Garcia, 28, was removed from a Miami flight to Chicago.

MIAMI, Fla. – Police repeatedly used a stun gun as they struggled to remove an American Airlines passenger accused of touching a female passenger without her permission.

Witnesses told News 6 partner WPLG Jacob Garcia, 28, had been rude to a couple on board the flight from Miami to Chicago. They said after he was moved to a different seat by flight attendants, he began using racial slurs.

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A Miami-Dade police report says the flight crew told officers they tried to move Garcia, of Chicago, to another seat, but he continued to be unruly, screaming and insulting the woman and her boyfriend.

Police then asked Garcia to leave Flight 2446, which was waiting to take off from Miami to Chicago, but he refused.

Passenger videos show police zapping the man as they struggled to get him off the plane. He kept asking why they were removing him.

[WARNING: Video below includes adult language]

"I have to ask, multiple times. Why am I being removed from this plane?" he asked in one of the videos, while being Tased.

Police said Garcia reached for an officer's handgun at one point and kicked the driver's side rear window of a police vehicle, causing about $150 in damage, WPLG reports.

When Garcia was carried by law enforcement officers from the aircraft other passengers clapped and cheered.

Garcia faces disorderly conduct and other charges. Jail records don't list an attorney.

The plane left an hour late.


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