Read my lips (and my previous posts): there WAS NO outrageous passenger.
Really? The NY newspapers that are based on NYC police reports must have it all wrong, I suppose. Anyway, what seems clear at this point is that the crew member pulled a dangerous stunt that was totally uncalled for under the circumstances.
This is not a stunt that I want to become common place in the future, so the man should be severly punished and, hopefully, this will provide a sufficent incentive for others not to repeat this.