Man accused of stabbing two teens with metal fork on flight from Chicago

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FILE - A Lufthansa Airbus A321-231 takes off from Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain, on August 27, 2025. (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A man is facing federal assault charges after reportedly stabbing two teen boys with a metal fork while on a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Germany. 

Federal prosecutors say Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, a 28-year-old Indian national who does not have legal status in the U.S., is charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. 

What happened? 

What we know:

Prosecutors say the attacks happened on Oct. 25 after meal service aboard Lufthansa flight 431. One of the teen boys was asleep in a middle seat when he woke up and allegedly found Usiripalli standing over him. The suspect reportedly used a metal fork to stab the 17-year-old boy in the shoulder area, then lunged at another 17-year-old passenger and stabbed him in the back of the head with the same metal fork. The second teen had a laceration on the back of his head. 

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When flight attendants tried to subdue Usiripalli, he reportedly formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger. He then slapped a female passenger and tried to slap a flight attendant, prosecutors say. 

The flight was diverted to Boston, where Usiripalli was arrested. Authorities say he was previously in the U.S. on a student visa and enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. He did not have legal status in the U.S. at the time of his arrest. 

What we don't know:

It’s unclear what Usiripalli’s motive was for the attacks. 

What's next:

Usiripalli faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.