An armed teenager was arrested at the Texarkana Regional Airport in Arkansas after attempting to take control of a plane, according to officials. The teen, carrying a handgun and an AR-style rifle, approached Signature Aviation at around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday and demanded a plane. Employees, fearing for their safety, fled the area and locked themselves in secure locations before calling law enforcement.
The armed minor proceeded toward the airfield where private airplanes were stored, but he was spotted by a pilot working for a local private aviation company. The pilot immediately retrieved his own firearm, aimed it at the teen, and ordered him to lie down. The pilot then disarmed the teenager as law enforcement arrived at the scene.
“We want everybody to know the airport is safe and secure and flights will be going out as usual,” said Paul Mehrlich, the airport director.
Mehrlich also emphasized the importance of the actions taken that day: “Today, we are thankful that there were no injuries, no lives lost, but it really was through the actions of this pilot and the staff at Signature Aviation that their actions saved lives today,” he stated.
The teenager was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, attempted aggravated robbery, and first-degree terroristic threatening. He was taken into custody and transferred to a juvenile detention center in Arkansas.
Mehrlich confirmed that no one was injured in the incident, and the airport’s security protocol appeared to function as intended. “And we feel it did work in the way it’s supposed to, but of course, any time you have an incident like this, we find ways to improve it, make it faster. If you can shave 10 to 15 seconds off, that can mean more lives saved in the future,” he said. “We will find ways to improve our system, but we are very proud that today nobody was hurt,” Mehrlich added.
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