Flight from Dallas to Indy struck by bullet while preparing for takeoff
DALLAS (CNN/WISH) — Dallas police say a Southwest Airlines flight was struck by a bullet as it was preparing to depart from Dallas Love Field Airport in Texas to an Indianapolis airport Friday evening,
The “bullet apparently struck the right side of the aircraft just under the flight deck” as the plane was taxiing for takeoff from Dallas to the Indianapolis International Airport just before 10 p.m. ET, Southwest Airlines told News 8 in a statement.
No injuries were reported and the flight safely returned to the gate, where passengers deplaned.
“Southwest will accommodate our customers on another flight. Law enforcement authorities have been notified and the plane has been removed from service,” the airline said.
It’s unclear where the gunfire originated from or if the plane was the intended target. No arrests had been announced as of early Saturday.
The Dallas Police Department told CNN responding officers arrived to find the aircraft had been hit by gunfire, and an investigation is now underway.
The Boeing 737-800 plane sustained damage after the bullet struck “near the cockpit,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Meanwhile, the runway it was taking off from reopened after it temporarily closed Friday night while police carried out their investigation.
The flight eventually took off and landed in Indianapolis around 2 a.m., according to the Indianapolis airport.
“There was minimal impact on airport operations,” the airport said in a statement posted on X.
Also on Friday, travelers on another Southwest Airlines flight in Denver had to evacuate after a passenger’s cell phone battery caught on fire and caused an airplane seat to catch fire.
The incident comes days after regulators grounded all flights to Haiti for a month after three jets from US-based airlines were struck by bullets while flying over Port-au-Prince.
It also comes about two years after a woman allegedly fired several gunshots into the air at Dallas Love Field Airport, sparking chaos as travelers fled. Dallas Love Field Airport is located about 6 miles northwest of downtown Dallas and primarily serves Southwest Airlines, its website states.
News 8 has reached out to the Dallas Police Department for more information.