A 35-year-old Australian has been arrested on a federal charge alleging he assaulted a Transportation Security Administration officer at Los Angeles International Airport.
The Melbourne, Australia resident was arrested Monday, March 16, at LAX and charged with assault on a federal officer.
An on-duty, uniformed TSA officer on Sunday, March 15, was leaving a restroom between terminals 6 and 7. The man — who was booked on a flight to Las Vegas — approached the officer and accused him of taking his backpack and passport, prosecutors said.
The man allegedly then grabbed the officer’s uniform, yanked off the TSA identification lanyard from his neck, pulled the victim’s hair, and pushed him into a glass wall.
The victim reported experiencing pain in his hand and back and sought medical evaluation.
Airport police arrested the Australian, whose carry-on bag and passport were found at a restaurant in Terminal 7 that he had visited, according to the Justice Department.
If convicted, the man could face up to eight years in federal prison, prosecutors noted.