Minneapolis man charged with punching two airport police officers

A Minneapolis man, who was trying to go through airport security without a boarding pass and then punched two police officers, was charged with assault, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Wednesday.

Isse Ali, 31, was charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault. He will make his first court appearance Thursday.

According to the criminal complaint, about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Police were called to the north security checkpoint at Terminal 1 because Ali was trying to go through security without a boarding pass.

Ali gave the two officers a ripped piece of paper saying it was his boarding pass. Officers looked at it and determined it was not a boarding pass, the complaint states. They then asked him for his identification and Ali told them he did not have to provide it to them.

They continued talking, but Ali became agitated and argumentative. At one point, he pulled his identification from his pocket but refused to give it to the officers. Then Ali walked away and one of the officers attempted to reach for him, according to the complaint. Ali punched the officer on the left side of his head. He then punched the other officer in her left eye.

Ali Criminal Complaint (PDF)