A woman attacked six deputies on Thanksgiving at a US airport after refusing to leave her flight.
Shannon Epstein, 25, had boarded a Spirit Airlines flight from the Louis Armstrong International Airport, New Orleans, to New Jersey on 24 November at 6am.
She had reportedly accused a family she believed to be Latino of smuggling drugs onto the flight, a sheriff’s office spokesperson told The Times-Picayune.
Staff asked for her to be removed from the flight, which was getting ready for take off, and the plane began to return to the gate.
Spirit Airlines staff called Jefferson Parish sheriff’s deputies to help remove her from the plane.
But Ms Epstein allegedly became more enraged, kicking, biting and spitting on the deputies who had arrived, leaving all six of them injured.
She allegedly bit one deputy on the arm and kicked another in the groin during the struggle.
Sheriff’s office spokesperson Captain Jason Rivarde said Ms Epstein became “increasingly combative” after the deputies arrived and attempted to make an arrest.
While shouting abuse, she was handcuffed to a wheelchair to be moved to the airport security office. Ms Epstein reportedly told the deputies they would lose their jobs, or be arrested themselves.
Ms Epstein is the daughter of former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who advised former president Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. Ms Epstein told officers of her family connection during the incident.
Christie supported the impeachment of Trump following the storming of the US Capitol.
Ms Epstein was arrested on six counts of battery on a police officer, three counts of disturbing the peace, and one count of resisting arrest by force. She was later released on bail.
The Independent has approached Spirit airlines and Louis Armstrong International Airport for comment.
