Assault on Deaf Passenger Sparks FBI Investigation

Everett Chad Nelson has been charged with assault after allegedly punching a sleeping deaf and non-verbal passenger on United Airlines Flight 2247 from San Francisco to Washington Dulles. The unprovoked attack occurred about two hours into the flight, leaving the victim with bruising and a gash on his nose, as blood spattered across the seat and window. Witnesses described the attack as vicious, and a fellow passenger intervened to stop Nelson, who was then monitored until the plane landed safely. The FBI is investigating the incident, and Nelson faces charges of assault on a United States aircraft, with a potential prison sentence if convicted. United Airlines praised the quick action of crew and passengers in restraining Nelson, while the FAA has launched an investigation amidst a backdrop of numerous unruly passenger incidents in 2024.