Overview

• On May 27, Priester allegedly stripped off his shirt mid-flight on American Airlines Flight 3359, shouted “Help me,” grabbed a seated flight attendant and attempted to drag them down the aisle.
• The pilot declared an emergency and diverted the Chicago-bound flight back to Bradley International Airport, where Connecticut State Police removed Priester and he was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
• The FBI charged the 24-year-old Wichita resident with interference with flight crew members and attendants, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
• Priester appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford on May 29 and was ordered held pending the upcoming bond hearing.
• The FAA has recorded 637 unruly passenger incidents in the first five months of 2025, a trend that has led airlines to emphasize zero tolerance for onboard violence.