Duct-taped man belligerent on Labor Day weekend flight, passenger says

A Tucson real estate broker is facing criminal charges after an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark was diverted to Baltimore, where he was arrested following an alleged confrontation with passengers and crew. The incident drew national attention after photographs showed the man restrained in his seat with zip ties and duct tape. For Tucson residents, the episode has also had a direct local consequence: Long Realty Co. ended its affiliation with the broker, who had worked with the Tucson company for more than a decade.

Layne Lundeen, 67, was arrested by Maryland Transportation Authority Police after the Sept. 3 flight landed in Baltimore. Maryland court records show he was charged with second degree assault and disorderly conduct. He was released Sept. 4, and a trial is scheduled for Oct. 19 in Maryland. The FBI has also been interviewing people involved and consulting with federal prosecutors about whether additional charges should be filed.

The flight was carrying passengers from Dallas to Newark during the Labor Day weekend travel period. Richard O’Lenick, who owns the Gun for Hire shooting range in New Jersey, said he was returning home after attending a trade show in Reno, Nevada. About two hours into the flight, he heard a passenger behind him speaking loudly and angrily. Lundeen was seated approximately two rows behind O’Lenick and fellow passenger Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer.

According to the passengers’ accounts, Lundeen directed vulgar language, racial slurs and homophobic or other derogatory comments toward people on the aircraft. A flight attendant tried for about 10 minutes to settle him down, but the situation became physical. O’Lenick said a woman seated in front of Lundeen saw him place his hands around the throat of his seatmate. She began striking Lundeen, and O’Lenick said Lundeen struck back. Other accounts said he also pushed a woman who tried to intervene, damaged a computer and directed a racial slur at a Black flight attendant. The allegations have not been resolved in court.

O’Lenick and Mejia then left their seats to help contain the situation. O’Lenick said he positioned himself between Lundeen’s knees and the seat, while Mejia sat beside them. During the struggle, Lundeen bit Mejia and tried to bite O’Lenick. The bite left a visible mark on Mejia but did not break the skin, O’Lenick said. Flight attendants provided zip tie restraints, which passengers and crew used to secure Lundeen. When he continued resisting and attempting to bite people, duct tape was placed over parts of his body, including his head and torso, as shown in images from inside the plane.

O’Lenick said he and Mejia repeatedly tried to calm Lundeen and avoid escalating the confrontation. He described the encounter as intense and said they were attempting to protect passengers while treating Lundeen as humanely as possible. At some point, Lundeen’s arm was injured and blood reached the seats, prompting additional cleaning of the aircraft. The diversion and the cleanups delayed the trip significantly. Although the flight was expected to arrive around 11 p.m., passengers did not reach Newark until approximately 3 a.m.

American Airlines described the event as involving a disruptive customer. After the aircraft landed in Baltimore, law enforcement officers removed Lundeen and took him into custody. The plane then continued to Newark. O’Lenick said the passengers who intervened were relieved to reach their destination safely. He also said the incident was especially unsettling as the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks approached, because those aboard did not initially know what had caused the outburst or whether the situation might become more dangerous.

The arrest has affected Lundeen’s Tucson professional standing. Long Realty said it promptly ended its relationship with him after learning about the charges and that he is no longer authorized to represent the company. Company officials said the alleged conduct did not match the professionalism, integrity, compassion and respect expected of people affiliated with the brokerage. Kevin Kaplan, CEO of Long Companies, said Long Realty has roughly 1,000 independent agents and emphasized that the incident involved one individual rather than the company’s broader network.

Lundeen had been affiliated with Long Realty since 2013, according to Arizona Department of Real Estate records. He became a licensed Arizona real estate broker in 2001, and state records show no disciplinary actions against him. A 2023 real estate trade publication reported that he founded the Tanque Verde Trio in 2014 with Laurie Hassey and Claire Durand, and that the group sold more than 100 homes in the Tanque Verde area in 2022. Hassey referred questions to Long Companies, while Durand declined to comment. Lundeen could not be reached for comment in the days after his release. His legal case remains pending, and the FBI’s review will determine whether the incident leads to federal charges in addition to the Maryland prosecution.