PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: An air traffic controller was charged with assault and battery after an incident.

Who’s Involved: Damon Marsalis Gaines, 39, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was charged.

Where & When: The event occurred at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thursday night.

Key Quote: “The employee is on administrative leave while we investigate the matter,” stated the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Impact: The arrest comes as the airport already faces scrutiny following a deadly January collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter and a recent near-collision involving military jets and a Delta flight.

IN FULL:

An air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) has been charged with assault and battery following an incident that took place last Thursday night. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority confirmed Damon Marsalis Gaines, 39, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, faces charges related to an altercation.

“The employee is on administrative leave while we investigate the matter,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. However, authorities have not detailed the specifics of the incident or any potential motives behind it.

The situation arises while Reagan National Airport is already under elevated scrutiny. Earlier this year, a mid-air collision occurred involving a military helicopter and a passenger airplane that resulted in the deaths of 67 individuals, including passengers, flight crew, and military pilots. As of last month, 55 of the 67 bodies of those deceased had been recovered from the Potomac River.

More recently, another close call occurred at the airport when military aircraft, on their way to Arlington National Cemetery, activated a collision alarm in a Delta Air Lines plane during takeoff. These incidents highlight ongoing safety and operational challenges at the airport. The proximity of military operations in the region adds complexity to the airspace management surrounding the nation’s capital.

Notably, in January 2024, the Biden government pushed a DEI policy that required the FAA to ensure a greater portion of new hires included individuals with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.

Image by Mariordo Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz.

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