Akinyela Sawa Taylor, a U.S. citizen, was shot dead after hijacking a small passenger plane in Belize, injuring two people in the process.
According to Belize’s Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, Taylor took control of the flight at knife-point, stabbing two passengers in the back and demanding the pilot fly him out of the country.
There were 14 passengers on board when the incident occurred. In a dramatic turn, one of the passengers managed to shoot the hijacker in the chest, bringing the situation under control.
The aircraft, which had been circling erratically near Belize City due to low fuel, eventually landed safely at Philip Goldson International Airport.
Taylor was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, while one of the injured passengers remains in critical condition.
The plane was originally en route from Corozal to San Pedro when the hijacking occurred.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy confirmed that the mission is working with Belizean authorities to investigate the incident.
