A 34-year-old Honduran national, Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, was arrested at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport after allegedly attempting to storm the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 2174 while claiming to possess a bomb, according to reporting by the New York Post.
The flight, which departed from New Jersey, landed safely in New Orleans at approximately 11:15 p.m. carrying 46 passengers and six crew members. According to air traffic control audio, Gomez-Alberto changed into all-black clothing before attempting to breach the cockpit. Flight crew members convinced him to move to the rear of the aircraft, where he was detained until the plane touched down and deputies from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office took him into custody.
Immigration records detailed by law enforcement sources show that Gomez-Alberto had been deported from the United States on two prior occasions: first in September 2011 near El Indio, Texas, and again in October 2014 in Columbus, New Mexico. He re-entered the country a third time in 2019 through the San Ysidro, California port of entry. At that time, he claimed to be transgender and HIV positive, stating he faced persecution in Honduras. He was subsequently granted asylum in 2020.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that Gomez-Alberto’s criminal record includes state-level charges for felony bomb threat, felony terroristic threat, and disorderly conduct. DHS reiterated that criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States.
