Dallas police are investigating after a Southwest Airlines flight was hit by a bullet while preparing for departure from Dallas Love Field Airport on Friday evening.
Authorities report that the bullet struck the right side of the plane, just below the flight deck, as it was taxiing for takeoff to Indianapolis just before 10 p.m.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the flight returned safely to the gate, where passengers deplaned. Southwest Airlines confirmed that law enforcement had been notified, and the plane was removed from service.
The airline assured customers that alternate travel arrangements would be made.
It remains unclear where the gunfire came from or if the plane was the intended target. As of early Saturday, no arrests had been made.
Dallas Police reported that officers found the aircraft with a bullet hole and have since launched an investigation.
The Boeing 737-800 sustained damage near the cockpit, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Meanwhile, the runway was briefly closed for the investigation but has since reopened, with minimal disruption to airport operations.
The incident follows a separate Southwest Airlines flight in Denver, where a passenger’s phone battery caused a seat fire.
Additionally, it comes days after US regulators grounded flights to Haiti due to gunfire hitting several aircraft flying over Port-au-Prince. This event also recalls a 2022 incident at Dallas Love Field Airport, where a woman allegedly fired multiple shots into the air, causing chaos.
