An American Airlines flight attendant was among those involved in a fatal stabbing in Denver, Colorado, over the weekend. The airline has officially revealed that longstanding employee Celinda Levno, 71, was one of the victims of the incident, which killed another pedestrian and injured two more.
A layover loss.
According to local news reports, Levno was in Denver on a layover when the attack occurred. She recently celebrated her 35th anniversary as a flight attendant, which began in 1989 with America West Airlines. America West eventually merged with US Airways, which became a subsidiary of American Airlines in 2013.
Levno, an avid equestrian, was the second of three victims targeted in an hour at the 16th Street Mall in Downtown Denver on Saturday night. In a statement to 12News, American Airlines confirmed the event and pledged to support the continuing investigation.
“We are heartbroken and saddened by the unfortunate loss of our colleague, who was the victim of a senseless act yesterday night. Our thoughts and support are with her family, loved ones, and colleagues, and we are doing everything we can to help law enforcement with their investigation.”
Although the fatal occurrence did not occur at the layover hotel, American Airlines temporarily shifted their crew from downtown Denver to a hotel near Denver International Airport (DEN).
What happened to the attacker?
The Denver Police Department stated on Monday that a suspect was captured in the incident. In addition to Ms Levno, the suspect is thought to have stabbed two other persons on January 11th. A first man was attacked at 17:12, carried to the hospital, and his injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening.
Following Ms Levno’s stabbing five minutes later, another adult male was stabbed soon before 18:00. He was taken to the hospital with critical injuries but is likely to live.
Following the occurrences, the police directed major public and private safety and security resources to the 16th Street Mall and adjacent area, and more resources will remain focused on the region in the foreseeable future.
Yesterday, Sunday, January 12th, Denver Police officers were searching for the culprit at 16th and Wynkoop Streets when they noticed a man fitting the description running with a knife.
Officers pursued the individual and arrested him. A fourth victim was discovered soon after the arrest and sent to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to the Denver Police Department, the motivation is still under investigation. There appears to be no relationship between the suspect and the victims, and the motivation remains unexplained. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) paid tribute to Levno over the weekend, citing her love of horses and calling her death a “senseless tragedy”:
“We regret to inform you that Celinda Levno, a flight attendant from Phoenix, died during a layover in Denver. Celinda started her career with America West in 1989.
“Celinda’s passion for her horses, friends, and family will never be forgotten. We support Celinda’s family, friends, and Phoenix Inflight coworkers as they deal with this horrible loss.
“APFA Employee Assistance (EAP) is available to help Flight Attendants process this unexpected tragic loss.”
As of now, the suspect is being held on charges of First Degree Murder of an At-Risk Elder, First Degree Murder, and two counts of Attempted First Degree Murder. The homicide investigation is ongoing, with the Denver District Attorney’s Office making the final charge determination. A spokeswoman has confirmed this.