A Southwest Airlines plane was hit by a bullet shortly before its scheduled takeoff from Dallas Love Field Airport in Texas on Friday night.
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The flight was headed to Indianapolis but returned to the gate after a distressing incident, prompting passengers to deplane, according to representatives from Southwest Airlines and the airport.
No injuries were reported, and the aircraft has since been removed from service.
“Southwest Airlines Flight 2494 was set to depart for Indianapolis when a bullet apparently struck the right side of the plane, just below the flight deck, as the crew was preparing for takeoff,” the Southwest spokesperson explained in a statement.
Dallas police arrived at the airport in response to the shooting that occurred around 9:50 p.m.
The Internet Shows Its Outrage After a Southwest Airlines Flight Struck by Bullet
Meanwhile, denizens of X showed their outrage at the incident. Many wondered if there was a suspect, while others urged maximum sentencing for whoever shot at the plane.
“This person attempted mass murder. They should get one year of jail for every passenger and crew. They will be caught,” one X user declared.
“Is this a war zone? It’s the most safe and secure state they tell everyone,” another X user added.
“Find this person. Make a clear example with a public hanging. Nothing could be crazier than endangering the lives of crew & passengers,” a third person insisted.
Yet another armchair expert reasoned that the plane shooting was something of a test run for something even more insidious.
“Proof of concept. If you can position yourself to hit it with a bullet, you can do it with an RPG. And the US, especially near the southern border, has been flooded with those willing to do just that. Standby, a departing plane is a slow moving target,” they speculated.
Of course, planes getting shot at is becoming routine as of late.
Last week, Haitian gangs fired upon three planes at or near the airport in Port-au-Prince, leading the Federal Aviation Administration to impose a 30-day ban on US airlines traveling to the violence-stricken Caribbean nation.
The incident is the second time in recent weeks that an aircraft flying over Port-au-Prince has come under gunfire from armed gangs. Last month, a United Nations helicopter was also hit and had to divert back to the airport, fortunately with no injuries reported.