A man is in custody after reportedly punching two TSA officers and seriously injuring a Dallas police officer Wednesday at Dallas Love Field, federal officials say.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 33-year-old Idress Vinay Solomon of Oakland, California, was to fly out of the airport to Oakland when he reportedly approached the security checkpoint without any identification. A TSA officer reportedly directed him to another lane to attempt to properly identify him, but when the process failed to verify his identity, he reportedly became aggressive and verbally disruptive.
“Violent conduct perpetrated against TSA and law enforcement officers will never be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in a statement. “We will prosecute such offenses to the fullest extent to seek justice for the victims here and to deter others from resorting to aggressive attacks against officers responsible for ensuring the public’s safety while traveling.”
According to the arrest report, after the TSA officer called for a supervisor, Solomon reportedly punched him in the back of the neck. He then reportedly punched the Dallas police officers responding to the incident multiple times in the face, fracturing his orbital bone.
Solomon then punched another TSA officer several times, the report says, before he was subdued.
As officers were placing Solomon into a police vehicle, officials say, he reportedly spat onto an officer’s arm, and continued yelling and pulling away from officers after being handcuffed.
If convicted, Solomon could be sentenced up to 20 years in federal prison.