‘I could handle him’: Passengers tackle and restrain armed teenager on Australian flight

Jetstar airline passengers and a pilot tackled and restrained an armed teenager before takeoff at Avalon airport near Melbourne, Australia, who reportedly had a shotgun and ammunition. Describing the frightening scene, one passenger, Barry Clark, later told Australia’s ABC Radio, “I was quietly confident I could handle him.”

Reportedly, the incident happened around 3pm on Thurs. March 6. Reports say the 17-year-old teen, who has not been named in the press, was dressed like a maintenance worker and got onto the tarmac through a hole in the fence. He then tried to board the plane bound for Sydney with the other passengers. Little else has been reported about the suspect in the case, but the BBC reports he is from the Ballarat area about 75 miles outside Melbourne.

Passengers raised the alarm

Passengers in Australia overpowered a 17-year-old boy armed with a shotgun and ammunition on Thursday as he tried to board a plane near Melbourne after sneaking into the airport.https://t.co/94hbt91nax pic.twitter.com/GA7iv7dkc8

— Jamaica Observer (@JamaicaObserver) March 6, 2025

Other boarding passengers reportedly noticed the shotgun while the suspect tried to board the plane. According to The Guardian, Clark later recalled, “The lovely air hostess was just questioning this bloke trying to come on dressed up as a worker.” Clark said the suspect “got agitated,” and a shotgun appeared.

Clark and at least one other passenger and a pilot on the plane then flew into action. “All I could do was push [the flight attendant] out of the way, get the gun out of the way,” Clark said, “break that, throw it down the stairs, and then put him in a hold and throw him to the ground until the police came.”

Clark added, “You don’t think, you act. I’ve been taught from a boy to be responsible and look after others. And we’re a sporting family, so I was quietly confident I could handle him … so you just gotta do what you gotta do.”

The teen reportedly also had ammunition along with the gun. After the boy was restrained, passengers disembarked and the airport was put on full lockdown. Australian law enforcement is investigating the incident with counter-terrorism authorities, though no link to terrorism and no official motive has been reported.

No one was injured

Courageous passenger saved the day as he subdued an alleged offender on Avalon Airport flight : A teenager who allegedly boarded a Jetstar flight bound for Sydney Australia armed with a shotgun has been arrested on the plane, forcing Victoria's Avalon Airport into lockdown.

The… pic.twitter.com/BCWiMhJXGt

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) March 6, 2025

No one was injured on the plane with some 160 passengers boarding, and the boy seemed to be acting alone, according to CBS News. Some reports say he dug a hole under the fence, but otherwise questions remain whether the boy made the hole he used to bypass airport security or if it was already there.

“No doubt this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers,” Victoria police superintendent Michael Reid told the press. “Victoria Police really commend the bravery of those passengers who were able to overpower that male.”

Reid also noted his concern, “that a person can firstly breach security, approach an aircraft and then make his way potentially close to being inside an aircraft with a firearm.”

After the incident, Jetstar said in a statement, “We’re aware of a security incident at Avalon airport this afternoon and are working with police and the airport to urgently understand what has occurred. The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority and we can confirm there are no reported injuries.”