'Panicked' Plane Passenger Opens Emergency Door on Runway, Deploying Inflatable Slide By Gabrielle Rockson

A plane passenger has been charged after opening an emergency door while the plane was taxiing in Atlanta.

On Wednesday, Nov. 26, the Atlanta Police Department confirmed in a press release that they responded to the incident at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday,

“A KLM flight bound for Amsterdam was delayed after a passenger made a 911 call reporting a possible weapon was onboard the flight. The aircraft, identified as Flight 622, returned to Ramp 9 where APD officers boarded the flight and took custody of the caller, Mr. Johannes Van Heertum (age 32),” authorities said.

They added, “Preliminary investigation indicates Van Heertum believed he saw another passenger with a weapon and appeared to have panicked, ultimately opening the emergency exit door and deploying the inflatable slide while the plane was taxiing.”

“Van Heertum also appeared to be experiencing a mental health episode,” the police continued. “He was evaluated by EMTs at the International Terminal Precinct before being charged with Reckless Conduct, Criminal Damage to Property, and Interfering with Security Measures.”

The man was then taken “to Clayton County Jail without incident.”

Authorities added that they notified APD Homeland Security.

“Nothing further at this time,” they concluded.

PEOPLE has contacted Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for comment

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In a statement to PEOPLE, KLM airlines confirmed they had to cancel the flight.

“On November 25, an incident involving an unruly passenger occurred during taxiing of flight KL622 from Atlanta to Amsterdam, during which the passenger opened the emergency door. Local authorities are investigating this incident,” they wrote.

The airline added, “Unfortunately, we had to cancel the flight. All other passengers have been rebooked onto the next available flights.”

Many passengers who were aboard the aircraft opened up about the “terrifying” moment.

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“He said someone had a gun on board, he was really loud,”  Jack Anderson told Fox 5 Atlanta. “So we could all hear it.”

“Easiest way, I think, is to get rid of the psychotic passenger here at this position with the police presence,” a crew member told an air traffic controller, the outlet reported.

Passenger Jane Anderson added, “Things kind of escalated quickly and he ran and they pounced on him, but he had already opened the door to the aircraft.”

“We are glad that he didn’t open it mid-flight,” Jack said.

The police also wrote in their statement that “information is preliminary in nature and can change as the investigation progresses and new information comes to light.”