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Police: Airline worker fatally stabbed by co-worker at PHL

Published  May 4, 2018 10:42am EDT
US
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - UPDATED: Authorities have identified two Frontier Airlines employees they say were involved in a fight that turned deadly at the Philadelphia International Airport Thursday morning.

Kevin Emanuel, 35, has been charged with murder and possession of an instrument of crime after police say he fatally stabbed a co-worker in a break room at the airport.

MORE: Frontier Airlines employee charged with fatally stabbing co-worker at PHL

Police say a man has died after he was stabbed by a co-worker at the Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday.

"He stabbed him right across the stomach," Northwest Detectives Lt. John Walker said.

According to police, an argument between several World Flight Services workers at Philadelphia International Airport got way out of hand around 11 a.m. Thursday morning

The men involved were contracted by Frontier Airlines to clean the planes. Police say the employees were in a breakroom at Terminal E when the simplest thing seemed to set off a fight.

"One of the males in the breakroom turned the light out. Another employee starts arguing with him. They shove, they push, they argue verbally," Lt. Walker said.

That's when police say another employee joined in, pulled out a knife, and stabbed the 28-year-old victim.

"Medics get on location take him over to Presbyterian Hospital. At 11:51 he was pronounced," Lt. Walker said.

Police say the two co-workers tried to make a run for it through the departure area but were stopped by airport police. A Philadelphia police van was brought in and the pair taken into custody.

The investigation is ongoing and the airport has not said if any flights would be impacted by the incident.

Frontier Airlines released the following statement:

"We've been made aware of an incident involving employees of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) at Philadelphia International Airport. The Frontier Airlines family is saddened to learn about this event and our hearts go out to those touched by the tragedy. We have reached out to WFS to assist them in any way possible as they deal with this incident."

PHL released the following statement:

Philadelphia International Airport is cooperating with the Philadelphia Police Dept. as they investigate this morning's tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased.

The safety of everyone in our Airport community is our top priority. No passengers were involved or harmed in the incident and no flights have been affected.