Man Stabs Two Teens With Fork On Lufthansa Flight Diverted To Boston

Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, a 28-year-old Indian national, was arrested after allegedly stabbing two 17-year-old boys with a metal fork aboard Lufthansa flight 431 from Chicago to Germany, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Boston. The first teen was stabbed in the left shoulder after waking to find Usiripalli standing over him, while the second was stabbed in the back of the head, sustaining lacerations. When flight crew tried to restrain Usiripalli, he made a gun gesture with his hand, pretended to pull the trigger, slapped a female passenger, and attempted to slap a crew member. Usiripalli was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa and enrolled in a master's program in biblical studies but currently lacks lawful status. He faces federal charges of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft, carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison. The case is pending his appearance in federal court in Boston.