‘Suspicious Activity’ Boots Four Passengers from Baltimore-Chicago Flight

Authorities removed four passengers from a plane at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The flight was headed to Chicago.

The Associated Press reports:

Spirit Airlines Flight 969 was taxiing Tuesday morning when the crew decided to return to the gate, according to Maryland Transportation Authority Police spokesman 1st Sgt. Jonathan Green.

He said the captain asked police to remove three men and a woman from the plane and that police are investigating.

Spokesman Stephen Schuler told the media that “a passenger alerted a flight attendant of a passenger engaged in suspicious activity on board.”

Authorities then evacuated the aircraft, removed luggage, and investigated the plane with a bomb-sniffing K-9. According to Patch.com, the first sign of suspicious activity appeared to be “when a woman and child got up from their seats and headed for the back of the plane as it was taxiing.” All those arrested had been sporting backpacks on the plane.

Suzanne Kennedy, a WJLA General Assignment reporter who was present during the incident, identified the suspects as appearing “to be in early 30s and of middle eastern descent” on her Twitter account.

The flight has now departed Baltimore and is expected to land in Chicago around 10 AM local time.