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A Michigan man who missed his flight was recently arrested after allegedly calling in a fake bomb threat that forced the evacuation of his scheduled Spirit Airlines flight at Detroit Metropolitan Airport early Thursday morning.
In a Justice Department news release Friday, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. said John Charles Robinson, 23, of Monroe is accused of using a cellphone to call Spirit Airlines with false information about a bomb threat to Flight 2145 departing from Detroit Metro bound for Los Angeles.
During the call, Robinson said in part, “I was calling about 2145… because I have information about that flight,” “there’s gonna be someone who’s gonna try to blow up the airport,” and “there’s gonna be someone that’s gonna try to blow up that flight, 2145,” according to an affidavit.
After giving a description of an individual, he then stated, “they’re going to be carrying a bomb through the TSA,” and “they’re still threatening to do it, they’re still attempted to do it, they said it’s not going to be able to be detected. Please don’t let that flight board.”
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According to reporting from FOX 2 Detroit, the plane was searched by K-9 units for explosives. (WJBK)
The aircraft was moved to a remote location, and all passengers were safely deplaned and taken to the Evans Terminal for additional screening.
Bomb-sniffing dogs and FBI agents conducted a thorough search of the plane for explosives, but nothing was found.
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Agents learned Robinson was booked on the flight, but missed it and was told at the gate that he needed to re-book.
Robinson was arrested by the FBI when he returned to the airport to depart on another flight bound for Los Angeles.
The passengers were deplaned and re-screened before the flight left for LAX. (WJBK)
“No American wants to hear the words ‘bomb’ and ‘airplane’ in the same sentence,” Gorgon said. “Making this kind of threat undermines our collective sense of security and wastes valuable law enforcement resources.”
Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said the incident prompted a coordinated response by our FBI Detroit Joint Terrorism Task Force, in partnership with the Wayne County Airport Authority Police Department and the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service.
“We remain committed to protecting the public and confronting those who seek to spread fear in our communities,” Gibson said.
Skyline of Detroit. (iStock)
Robinson appeared in federal court in Detroit on Friday afternoon and was released on bond.
His next court appearance is June 27 for a preliminary examination.
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Spirit Airlines did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
