Southwest Passenger Forces Emergency Landing in Portland After Unruly Behavior, Throwing Up Gang Signs 'for Jesus'
An unruly Southwest passenger forced his Sacramento-bound plane to make an emergency landing in Portland earlier this week after the man reportedly threw up gang signs "for Jesus" and yelled at flight attendants, demanding alcohol.
Passenger Lemar Sheron Rogers was reportedly high on "purple hash" when he became belligerent and unruly on his Southwest Airlines flight leaving Seattle, Wash., and heading to Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday. Police reports indicate that the passenger's belligerent behavior began almost immediately upon boarding the plane, as he demanded he be seated in first class, although the plane had no first class option.
Rogers then reportedly refused to stow his luggage, saying "I do what I want," and then demanded he get an "[expletive] drink" from flight attendants. When a woman and her daughter asked to be switched seats so they wouldn't have to sit next to the unruly passenger, Rogers reportedly said they did so because he was black.
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The 27-year-old passenger's behavior also reportedly vacillated between calm and complimentary, and loud and offensive during the flight. The police report, obtained by Oregon Live, states that he yelled at a flight attendant, "Get the [expletive] out of my face," before calmly saying, "Jesus loves you." The suspect also reportedly made gang signs, telling police later that any gang-related hand gestures he "threw up were for Jesus."
Flight attendants on the plane reportedly became concerned when Rogers demanded to speak to the pilot, even preparing a pot of boiling water to throw on the passenger should he try to storm the cockpit. Out of concern for the safety of passengers and crew, the airlines decided to make an emergency landing at Portland's International Airport, where the suspect was taken into custody by police.
According to The Associated Press, the affidavit citing the passenger's behavior states that Rogers told police he thought he was being polite on the plane, and that in fact other passengers were being rude. Rogers reportedly admitted to smoking marijuana before boarding his flight, but said he didn't feel high while he was in the air.
According to a separate article from Oregon Live , Rogers was released from federal custody on Thursday, but must remain in Portland until Friday for his hearing. His arraignment is scheduled for March 20.
