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pilot said
Alpizar responded with, "Shoot me! Shoot me!" while repeating several times that he had a bomb, despite a further warning of "We're going to have to shoot you if you don't stop." The captain (age 50) of the plane was in a position to see both Alpizar's wife coming down the aisle and Alpizar in the jetway. The captain said that Alpizar was at the far end of the jetway, and turned around and advanced toward the plane, ignoring commands to stop. The captain said Alpizar defiantly yelled, "Shoot me! Shoot me!", and observed that Alpizar appeared serious and considered him a threat. The captain said that the air marshals repeatedly said they would shoot, but Alpizar advanced anyway.
229:. According to James E. Bauer, two Air Marshals confronted Alpizar near the cockpit when Alpizar "uttered threatening words that included a sentence to the effect that he had a bomb". Homeland Security spokesperson Brian Doyle later claimed that Alpizar "threatened that he had a bomb in his backpack" and "made a move toward the backpack". Ignoring requests to stop, Alpizar continued to exit the plane and was soon confronted just outside the aircraft in the jetway. After being ordered to the ground, Alpizar allegedly did not comply, instead reaching for the bag. The two Air Marshals pulled out their .357
266:
suspiciously, he claimed to have a bomb, Federal Air
Marshals told him to get on the ground. He did not comply." Several passengers on the flight denied the government's claim, saying they never heard Alpizar say anything about a bomb. One of the passengers, John McAlhany, said in an interview, "I never heard the word 'bomb' on the plane", ... "I never heard the word 'bomb' until the FBI asked me did you hear the word 'bomb'." and another passenger, Mary Gardner, added, "I did not hear him say that he had a bomb". A spokesman for the
337:
A final report was released by the Miami-Dade State
Attorney's Office on May 23, 2006. The report found that "the shooting officers were legally justified in their use of force and no criminal charges will be filed. The report notes as a key fact that Alpizar's wife said that her husband "threatened"
312:
has fired a weapon in the line of duty. Six days after
Alpizar was shot, the U.S. government gave the organization expanded powers to "identify suspicious passengers". The Air Marshals were "eager to conduct surveillance activities beyond the aircraft, and tighten security at public transit stations
358:
had a bomb (rather than that there was a bomb on board) arises from the statements of the two shooting federal air marshals, the pilot, the brief statement from
Alpizar's wife (although it's not specified where and how she heard this), and two witnesses seated at the front of the plane (one of whom
270:
has been quoted as saying that a flight attendant who confronted
Alpizar as he tried to leave the plane claimed Alpizar said "I have a bomb", though this assertion has not been repeated, and this flight attendant has not come forward. According to the Miami Dade State Attorney's Office Final Report
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The first officer (age 49) of the plane stood directly behind the air marshals, and said that
English was spoken. The pilot said that Alpizar indicated he had a bomb, and continued advancing despite a warning that "If you don't take your hands out of the bag, we're going to have to shoot you." The
224:
As the plane finished boarding and all 114 passengers were seated, Alpizar was heard having an argument with his wife, Anne
Buechner. He stood up from his seat saying, "I have to get off the plane", and ran for the door, which was still open. Buechner chased after him, yelling, "He's sick". He was
349:
The report also notes three other witnesses who said they heard either "I have a bomb" or "There's a bomb on board", but they could not determine which. The report notes one witness seated in the front of the plane say that
Alpizar said "I have a bomb" as he ran by. Another witness seated in the
341:
Both federal air marshals (ages 30 and 31) claimed that
Alpizar repeatedly stated that he had a bomb and would detonate it (one marshal said these threats were made in Spanish, the other marshal did not indicate a language), while advancing towards them and refusing commands to stop. The report
838:
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Special Agent in Charge James Bauer that Alpizar claimed to have a bomb in his carry-on bag. Recapping the events that led to Alpizar's shooting, Weiner reported, "They were reboarding the flight, it was continuing to Orlando. That's when Federal Air Marshals confronted this man. He was acting
362:
From the air marshals' statements, it appears that the second air marshal fired one shot at first, but as Alpizar continued to approach, both air marshals began firing. The first air marshal fired three shots; the second, six shots. The autopsy showed that all non-grazing wounds were from
350:
first row said he heard Alpizar yell from the back of the plane, "I got to get off this plane. I have a bomb." Three flight attendants said that Alpizar said there was a bomb on board. The report does not indicate whether or not these flight attendants heard Alpizar say he had a bomb.
342:
indicates that the first air marshal was fluent in Spanish. Both said they issued commands in both English and Spanish. The second air marshal said that Alpizar said, "I'm going to blow up this bomb. I'm going to blow up this bomb. I'm going to show you."
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was in the first row and said he heard the claim from the back of the plane, the other saying Alpizar made this claim as he was running by). The air marshals were the only individuals to claim that Alpizar directly threatened to detonate a bomb.
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pressed into his head by one officer and hearing cries and screams from many passengers aboard the aircraft after the shooting in the jetway. "This was wrong", McAlhany said, "This man should be with his family for Christmas. Now he’s dead".
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The report also noted many of the other witness comments made to news media, as well as Alpizar's not having taken his full dose of medication, and his unusual behavior in airports prior to the incident. The claim that Alpizar said
42:
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After the shooting, police dogs sniffed all luggage for explosives and passengers were held on the plane until all luggage was cleared. No bombs or explosives were found. McAlhany said he remembers having a
338:
that he had a bomb in his backpack, although this is not elaborated on further; i.e., precisely when Alpizar said this, to whom, how she heard this, and in what language the alleged statement was made.
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217:, the airplane on which Alpizar was traveling taxied to the gate and passengers began disembarking to be processed by Customs Agents. At about 14:00 (2:00 PM) EST, passengers continuing on to
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front-to-back, with four projectiles found lodged in Alpizar's body. The autopsy also supports the finding that the backpack was being worn or held across Alpizar's chest.
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The D Concourse of Miami International Airport was temporarily evacuated following the shooting and was re-opened around 15:00 (3:00 PM)
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officials maintain, claimed to have a bomb in his bag and then made a sudden movement toward it.
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Lay Down (Ballad of Rigoberto Alpizar) Written by Jeremy Fisher - Wind up Records
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of May 23, 2006, the pilot claimed to have heard Alpizar say he had a bomb.
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Alpizar was buried in his birthplace Cariari de Guápiles in
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Reuters: "Costa Rica village buries man shot dead in Miami"
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Just hours later, in a nationally broadcast interview with
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Report from the Office of the State Attorney, May 23, 2006
170:. He was supposed to fly with his wife, Anne Buechner, to
579:"Undercover air marshals to expand work beyond airplanes"
604:"Trasladan a Costa Rica cuerpo de viajero abatido en EU"
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490:"Man Who Claimed to Have Bomb Killed at Miami Airport"
515:"Witnesses dispute official line on plane shooting"
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834:Hispanic and Latino American-related controversies
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308:reports, this incident was the first time a U.S.
779:Miami Herald:Airport shooting is ruled justified
769:"AU Courier-Mail: "Airline Bomb Claim Unravels"
629:"Sepultan vĂctima de aviĂłn de AA en Costa Rica"
537:"Passenger shooting death still under review"
440:"Eyewitness: "I Never Heard the Word 'Bomb'""
300:From Transportation Security Administration (
268:Association of Professional Flight Attendants
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704:Text of Miami-Dade police department release
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535:Frank, Thomas; Adams, Marilyn (2005-12-08).
676:. Time Magazine. 2005-12-08. Archived from
442:. Time Magazine. 2005-12-08. Archived from
814:Costa Rican emigrants to the United States
671:"Police Shooting Closeout Memo Case # N/A"
193:. Alpizar ran away from the aircraft and,
139:(April 17, 1961 – December 7, 2005) was a
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29:
465:"Passenger: Alpizar Was Agitated at Gate"
333:Miami-Dade state attorney's office report
27:2005 death at Miami International Airport
735:"Man killed after bomb claim at airport"
166:and worked in the Paint Department of a
753:. CBS. December 8, 2005. Archived from
631:. Esmas.com. 2005-12-13. Archived from
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849:Transportation Security Administration
719:Witness: I never heard the word "bomb"
467:. ABC News. 2005-12-08. Archived from
178:, returning from a missionary trip to
205:On December 7, 2005, upon landing at
7:
751:"Air Marshals 'had to stop threat'"
743:"Probe after Miami airport killing"
558:"Probe after Miami airport killing"
393:Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes
46:Alpizar in an undated family photo.
25:
581:. AP. 2005-12-14. Archived from
147:citizen who was fatally shot at
376:has a song on his 2007 album,
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829:People from Maitland, Florida
513:Freeman, Simon (2005-12-09).
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189:The shooting took place on a
158:Alpizar lived in the central
819:Deaths by firearm in Florida
221:were re-boarding the plane.
854:Miami International Airport
714:Man killed at Miami airport
606:. Esmas.com. Archived from
517:. London: TimesOnline.co.uk
207:Miami International Airport
149:Miami International Airport
85:Miami International Airport
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824:People from LimĂłn Province
261:reported the assertion of
225:followed by an undercover
18:Death of Rigoberto Alpizar
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745:. BBC. December 8, 2005.
737:. CNN. December 7, 2005.
412:"Miami Airport Shooting"
560:. BBC News. 2005-12-08
367:Pop culture references
329:on December 13, 2005.
414:. PBS.com. 2005-12-07
372:Canadian folk singer
249:All Things Considered
151:by two United States
65:Cariari de Guápiles,
446:on December 10, 2005
153:Federal Air Marshals
724:PBS NewsHour Update
710:, December 9, 2005.
379:Goodbye Blue Monday
321:Final resting place
310:Federal Air Marshal
275:No explosives found
101:Cause of death
492:. NPR. 2005-12-07
306:Homeland Security
263:Homeland Security
257:, Eric Weiner of
195:Homeland Security
137:Rigoberto Alpizar
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89:Miami-Dade County
34:Rigoberto Alpizar
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79:(2005-12-07)
809:2005 deaths
804:1961 births
539:. USA Today
227:air marshal
141:Costa Rican
111:Citizenship
798:Categories
761:2005-12-09
687:2006-08-18
639:2007-05-11
614:2007-05-11
589:2006-09-13
564:2006-09-13
543:2006-09-13
521:2006-09-13
496:2006-09-13
475:2006-09-13
450:2015-04-11
418:2006-09-13
399:References
327:Costa Rica
168:Home Depot
119:Occupation
67:Costa Rica
58:1961-04-17
313:over the
237:Aftermath
231:SIG Sauer
387:See also
242:Reaction
215:Colombia
211:MedellĂn
201:Shooting
164:Maitland
162:town of
315:holiday
282:shotgun
219:Orlando
209:, from
184:Ecuador
176:Florida
172:Orlando
160:Florida
93:Florida
304:) and
191:jetway
143:-born
127:Spouse
95:, U.S.
681:(PDF)
674:(PDF)
180:Quito
706:via
74:Died
52:Born
317:".
302:TSA
290:EST
259:NPR
800::
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