An illegal immigrant from India is in custody after he allegedly stabbed two 17-year-olds on a flight leaving Chicago.
Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, according to a Monday news release published by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and could pay a $250,000 fine.
The incident happened Oct. 25, on a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany.
“Minor A was sleeping lightly in a middle seat when he allegedly awoke to see Usiripalli standing over him,” the news release said.
Using a metal fork, Usiripalli reportedly stabbed the teen near his left clavicle.
“Usiripalli then allegedly lunged toward Minor B – who was seated to Minor A’s right in a middle seat in the center row of the aircraft – and struck Minor B in the back of his head with the fork. Minor B suffered a laceration to the rear of his head,” the release said.
The flight crew tried subduing Usiripalli, but he wasn’t finished.
“He allegedly raised his hand, formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger,” the release read.
Then he slapped a female passenger before trying to slap a flight crew member.
The flight diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where Usiripalli was taken into custody.
🚨#FBI Boston has charged Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, an Indian national, with allegedly stabbing two minor victims with a metal fork while on board a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Germany. Learn more: https://t.co/PRVulpkuaQ pic.twitter.com/VDkyAqM0x1
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) October 28, 2025
The U.S. Attorney’s Office didn’t report the current status of the two injured teens.
Lufthansa, however, said in a statement that “all passengers were provided with hotel accommodations and were rebooked on the next available flights,” ABC News reported.
According to the release, Usiripalli entered the U.S. on a student visa.
From 2022 to 2025 he studied at the Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago, according to the Associated Press.
He was enrolled in a master’s degree program and was taking biblical studies.
At the time of his arrest, however, he did not have lawful status in the U.S., according to the release.
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