An incident at Orlando International Airport in Florida has led to an Ohio man being charged with attempted first-degree murder of a police officer.
Edward Hariston, 41, allegedly placed an officer in a submission hold, causing him to “lose consciousness.” The incident, originally captured on TikTok, shows the moment when three officers intervened and apprehended Hariston.
The charges against Hariston include attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, and disorderly conduct. The incident occurred following a report of a group of irate passengers shouting at Spirit Airlines employees near the ticket counter, according to a statement from the police.
In the video footage, the situation quickly escalates as one of the officers tries to subdue Hariston by grabbing his arm. However, Hariston resists, leading to a struggle on the floor. With Hariston gaining the upper hand, he proceeds to apply a tight strangle on the officer, causing him to experience dizziness and loss of consciousness.
Describing the incident, the officer involved stated, “We both fell onto the ground and Hariston put one of his arms around my neck in a chokehold and began to squeeze, restricting my airway, making it unable for me to breathe. I began to get dizzy and immediately spotty as my airflow was restricted, and I was beginning to lose consciousness.”
Fortunately, the situation was brought under control when the other three officers swiftly intervened, overpowering Hariston and allowing the choked officer to break free.
Onlookers witnessed the alarming scene, with one woman in the background captured on video expressing her disbelief through screams.
The TikTok user who posted the video revealed that their Spirit Airlines flight was canceled due to the commotion. This incident has garnered attention on social media, with commenters expressing their shock and voicing their dissatisfaction with the airline.
“Never flying with Spirit again,” commented one individual, reflecting the frustration caused by the disturbance. Another commenter criticized Spirit Airlines, stating, “This is the craziest s–t ever! You should be ashamed of yourselves @Spirit Airlines.” Such incidents have led to further criticism of the airline, with some users highlighting previous negative experiences they have had.
