On Friday, November 15, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 was attacked on the tarmac at the Dallas airport. The incident occurred in the afternoon when the plane was preparing to fly to Indianapolis.
The bullet hit the right side of the plane, near the cabin. Damage was reported but fortunately none of the passengers or crew were injured. The plane returned to the gate, after which the passengers were evacuated to the terminal.
Dallas police led the investigation. The motive for the crime is unknown at this time. Law enforcement officials confirmed that the track was temporarily closed following the incident.
A Southwest Airlines spokesman said the shot damaged part of the plane’s body. He also highlighted that safety measures were quickly implemented to protect passengers and crew.
“Southwest will transfer our customers to another flight,” the airline said in a statement. “Law enforcement authorities have been notified and the aircraft has been removed from service.”
It is unclear where the shots came from or whether the plane was the target. As of early Saturday morning, no arrests had been reported.
The Dallas Police Department told CNN that officers arrived at the scene and discovered the plane had been hit by gunfire and was under investigation.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Boeing 737-800 aircraft was damaged after being hit by a bullet “near the cockpit.”
Meanwhile, the runway from which the plane took off has reopened after being temporarily closed Friday night while police investigated.
“The impact on airport operations has been minimal,” the airport said in a statement posted on the X website.
Cursor previously wrote that the plane almost crashed due to an unusual error by the mechanics.
