Ex-Delta Pilot to Appear in Court Over Mid-Flight Gun Threat

Jonathan J. Dunn, who threatened to shoot his captain over a flight diversion dispute, faces up to 20 years in prison.

Jonathan J. Dunn, a former Delta Air Lines pilot, is set to make his first federal court appearance for allegedly threatening to shoot a flight captain during a trip from Atlanta to Salt Lake City in August 2022.
Dunn, who was the first officer, or co-pilot, threatened to shoot the captain during a heated argument in the cockpit over whether to change course to accommodate a passenger’s medical issue.
The captain had proposed diverting to Grand Junction, Colorado, if the passenger’s condition worsened, but Dunn objected and threatened multiple times to shoot the captain, accusing him of 'going crazy'.
Dunn, a 42-year-old pilot from Rapid City, North Dakota, had been authorized by the Transportation Security Administration to carry a firearm on board for security. The TSA has since revoked that authority, and Delta says Dunn no longer works for the airline.
Dunn is an Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonel who was relieved of his command for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.