A man originally from Mexico, who received legal permanent residency in the U.S. in 2018, admitted guilt on Tuesday regarding a stabbing incident involving a fellow passenger during a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas.

Federal authorities report that the violent episode occurred on January 24, 2024, when Julio Alvarez Lopez unexpectedly assaulted another traveler by punching and stabbing him with a rudimentary weapon fashioned from three ballpoint pens bound together with hair bands.

Court documents reveal that Lopez launched the unprovoked attack, inflicting wounds on the victim’s body and face. The unnamed victim suffered injuries that required stitches, including lacerations near his torso and eye.

Witnesses recounted that after the stabbing ceased, Lopez stood up and moved toward the front of the plane. Crew members and passengers quickly intervened, restraining him for the remainder of the flight as the aircraft headed toward Harry Reid International Airport.

Assault Was Deliberate

Upon landing, officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department apprehended Lopez. During a post-arrest questioning — where he waived his Miranda rights — Lopez confessed to bringing a weapon onboard with the intent to use it.

He stated he targeted the victim because he felt the man had been “looking at him in a harassing manner,” and claimed that his intention was to kill him by “forcing the makeshift weapon into the victim’s brain.”

At 38 years old, Lopez entered a guilty plea for a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, classified as a federal felony. His next court appearance is set for September 22, 2026, where a U.S. district judge will decide his punishment.

The investigation involved collaboration among the FBI, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the LVMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenna Bush is overseeing the prosecution.