Armed US Airline Passenger Shoots Hijacker...

[ELB]

...in 1970.

I didn't know about this. I was 10 in 1970, but don't remember hearing about this.

Paul Hubel blogs about it here:
http://www.crimefilenews.com/2011/09/ai ... erent.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Old news accounts of it here:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... Q0-9dtpbyg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... QrYo0vAJkw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... cs4xZdbvMw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... GKMngcq8nA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Short course: mentally disturbed guy with gun hijacks airliner, demands to go to North Korea. Captain knows there is an armed Brinks guard/courier on plane, tells stewardess (as she was known then) to tell Brinks guy to go get the hijacker (apparently in violation of the airline's "cooperate with hijackers" policy). Brinks guy shoots hijacker in abdomen (while plane was on ground). Hijacker gave up, lived. Turns out his gun was a starter pistol loaded with blanks.

Unbelievable (now) part: Brinks company touted guy as hero (gave him $5,000 bonus), President Nixon called him to offer congratulations, FAA offered him job as sky marshal (he declined), brought him in to talk to sky marshal classes.

All too believable part: According to Hubel, the Brinks guy, former military policeman, lost his right to have a gun when Clinton era "crime" measures established a lifetime gun ban for anyone who had a juvenile conviction that could constitute a felony. Turns out Brinks guy had joyriding episode as a teen and got caught. (As I recall, there is a provision in the law for people to petition to have their gun rights restored. Also as I recall, Congress has consistently refused to fund implementation of the provision).

How far we've come.