Furious passenger calls in bomb threat to Spirit Airlines after showing up late and getting barred from flight: Feds
No one has ever been so eager to get on a Spirit Airlines flight.
A passenger called in a bomb threat to the flight company as part of a bungled attempt to get revenge for not being allowed to board a plane in Michigan, according to the United States Attorney's Office.
Charles Robinson, 23, had missed his chance to board the airline's Flight 2145 in Detroit — and then got into an argument with the customer service agents when they wouldn't let him board late, according to officials.
Advertisement
He was told at the gate that he needed to rebook, according to the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan.
The FBI arrested Charles Robinson for allegedly calling in a fake bomb threat.
FOX 2 Detroit
Robinson then allegedly called in a bomb threat for his missed flight in a misguided attempt at revenge at 6:45 a.m., even going so far as to invent a bomber and giving authorities a detailed description of what he looked like, according to prosecutors.
The passengers who had boarded the flight needed to deplane and the authorities brought in bomb sniffing dogs to look for explosives, prosecutors said.
Advertisement
'No American wants to hear the words 'bomb' and 'airplane' in the same sentence,' U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. said in a press release. 'Making this kind of threat undermines our collective sense of security and wastes valuable law enforcement resources.'
The FBI arrested Robinson at the airport when he tried to board another flight to Los Angeles, prosecutors said. Robinson, of Monroe, Michigan, was arrested on a criminal complaint for reporting a fake bomb threat for a flight, according to federal prosecutors.
Police needed to clear a plane and search for explosives after federal officials said a disgruntled passenger called in a fake bomb threat.
FOX 2 Detroit
During the call reporting the fake bomb threat, Robinson allegedly said he was calling about Flight 2145 because he had information about that flight, according to prosecutors.
Advertisement
'There's gonna be someone who's gonna try to blow up the airport,' he said, according to prosecutors. 'There's gonna be someone that's gonna try to blow up that flight, 2145.'
After giving a description of the make-believe bomber, he then added: 'They're going to be carrying a bomb through the TSA,' he said, according to prosecutors. 'They're still threatening to do it, they're still attempting to do it, they said it's not going to be able to be detected. Please don't let that flight board.'
Robinson appeared in federal court in Detroit Friday afternoon and was released on bond, according to prosecutors. His next court appearance will be on June 27 for a preliminary examination.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
29 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Trump's latest manufactured crisis has Los Angeles in its grip
Advertisement And it's hard to imagine them voting to trample local local enforcement. Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up But then this administration has been just spoiling for a confrontation — especially in Los Angeles, with presidential advisers like And the president threw gasoline on the fire. Even as more demonstrators took to the streets, Advertisement Now there is no excuse for violence on the streets of any American city — and burning Waymo robot-driven cabs is hardly a good image for those with legitimate concerns about tactics used by immigration forces. The initial demonstrations were touched off by immigration raids at a garment factory and But throughout the weekend there was also no evidence that state and local police were incapable of dealing with the situation without the unasked-for federal intervention. In fact, some These are not the LA riots of 1992 in the wake of the verdict acquitting police officers of beating a Black man, Rodney King. Some Trump has long been the master of the manufactured crisis — the kind he has repeatedly used to justify broad use of executive powers. The president had barely finished taking the oath of office, when he declared a crisis at the border, requiring an Then there was the declaration of an equally nonexistent In April, with the Advertisement But by calling out the National Guard in California, on his own initiative and under false pretenses, Trump has entered new and more dangerous territory. 'The people who are causing the problems are bad people, they are insurrectionists,' Trump The president has not yet invoked the Insurrection Act but instead is using a section of the US Code on Armed Services ( That certainly explains Trump's escalating rhetoric and that of his administration, but it is an allegation that at the end of the day would have to be proven in court. 'Federal law enforcement officers were attacked by violent radicals and illegal criminals waving foreign flags because Governor Newsom was too weak to protect the city,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt Those 'foreign flags' were evidence not of an 'invasion' but for many Mexican-Americans in LA, But for this administration there is no detail that can't be used to distort the truth. 'Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion,' Advertisement Sure, Trump has long had it in for California, threatening to But the truly horrifying thing about Trump's current move is that it could happen to each and every state in the nation — or, more likely, to each and every Democratic state, especially when truth is so irrelevant to the Trump administration and facts are so fungible. The other danger is that having normalized the deployment of troops during manufactured crises, Trump will feel empowered to use them in even more forceful or aggressive ways if and when the nation faces actual crises. California's political leaders will not be fighting this battle on behalf of the rule of law alone. It's our fight too, and it won't be the last. Editorials represent the views of the Boston Globe Editorial Board. Follow us
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What will the Army 250th birthday parade look like? Here's what we know so far
WASHINGTON - The Army's 250th birthday parade will be hosted in the nation's capital this weekend, and it's expected to bring massive crowds of people to D.C., along with heightened security. The event coincides with the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump. Army officials estimate that around 200,000 people will attend the evening event. What we know The parade will go down Constitution Avenue, from 23rd Street to 15th Street, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Fencing is up, and this is just the start of the security measures. "We're preparing for an enormous turnout," U.S. Secret Service Special Agent In Charge Matt McCool said. While Secret Service officials say they're expecting potentially hundreds of thousands of people, that's not all — SkyFox captured video over Jessup, Md., showing tanks headed to the nation's capital as well. The military parade has been designated a National Special Security Event — similar to a presidential inauguration or state funeral. That status is reserved for events that draw large crowds and potential mass protests. It calls for an enhanced degree of high-level coordination among D.C. officials, the FBI, Capitol Police and Washington's National Guard contingent — with the Secret Service taking the lead. The Army birthday celebration had already been planned for months but earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to transform the event into a massive military parade complete with 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets. What they're saying "I cannot emphasize enough, your safety remains our number one priority," D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said. Still, there are some security concerns. Just this past weekend, the day the WorldPride parade took place in D.C., police responded to a shooting and a double stabbing at Dupont Circle. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, there's been widespread unrest and violence as thousands have been on the streets to protest federal immigration crackdowns. "We are paying attention obviously to what is happening there, and we will be ready for that if it were to occur here," Special Agent McCool said. Agent Phillip Bates of the FBI's Washington Field office, which is tasked with counterterrorism and crisis management, said there were "no credible threats" to the event at the moment. Although federal, state, and local officials said Monday that they're not expecting it, their preparations include nearly 19 miles of anti-scale fencing, 17 miles of bike racks and concrete barriers, 175 magnetometers, officers from multiple agencies and drones. "Rest assured, all drones will be owned and operated by the Secret Service or our partners. So, please do not be alarmed," McCool said. What they're saying As for whether people who live in D.C. feel safe, some said yes. "I don't have any concern about safety, you know?" Northwest D.C. resident Onur told FOX 5. But others say they have some worries. "It seems kind of odd that they put up this 10 foot security fence all around if they don't expect something to happen or some kind of unrest or something," Joe Harper, Jr., said. There are also concerns regarding traffic and potential road damage if you've got all of those tanks down here. The Source This story includes information from the Associated Press and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
L.A. protester, 40, wanted by FBI for assault on federal officer identified
Investigators have identified a man placed on the FBI's Most Wanted list after he reportedly assaulted a federal officer during protests that turned violent Saturday in Los Angeles County. Federal officials allege 40-year-old Compton resident Elpidio Reyna 'injured a federal officer' and damaged government property while throwing rocks at law enforcement at around 3:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of Alondra Boulevard in Paramount on June 7. Protesting an ICE raid that occurred in the city, the demonstrations grew violent as the afternoon wore on. 'As deputies arrived, it appeared that federal law enforcement officers were in the area, and that members of the public were gathering to protest,' LASD said. Authorities did not provide any information on the extent of the officer's injuries, nor did they say how much damage was caused to federal vehicles. L.A. driver goes on high-speed rampage amid violent downtown protests In photos of Reyna released by federal authorities, the 40-year-old is seen wearing a Lakers hat with a mask covering much of his face. He is also seen wearing what appears to be a motorcross helmet, holding what appears to be a Mexican flag and, in another photo, tossing items on an improvised bonfire in the middle of the roadway. In video of the incident, the 40-year-old is reportedly seen on the side of the street launching something as passing federal vehicles. 'Elpidio Reyna can, but he can't hide,' U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a post to X. 'He threw rocks at federal officers leaving a command post, a brazen attack caught on film and that could have resulted in deaths.' Authorities say Reyna should be 'considered armed and dangerous' and are offering up to a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). To remain anonymous, submit a tip online at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
