A mid-air hijacking attempt on a Tropic Air flight in Belize ended in dramatic fashion on Thursday when a knife-wielding US citizen was fatally shot by a fellow passenger after injuring three people.
According to officials, the suspect—identified as 49-year-old Akinyela Sawa Taylor—launched an unprovoked attack on passengers with a knife during a domestic flight headed to San Pedro. The situation quickly escalated, prompting another passenger to intervene and fatally shoot the assailant.
Belize Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed Taylor’s identity and commended the quick-thinking passenger who stopped the attack, calling them a “hero.”
Authorities have not yet determined how Taylor managed to board the small aircraft with a knife, and investigations are ongoing. The US Embassy in Belize has been contacted to assist with the inquiry.
All injured passengers are reportedly receiving medical care, and Tropic Air has yet to release an official statement on the incident.
