Authorities say a deportation layover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport erupted into chaos last Thursday when a man allegedly bolted through Terminal 4 and bit a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during a struggle on the concourse.
Officials have identified the man as Kiiza Donald Atuhairwe, who was being flown out of the country on a deportation route from El Paso to Uganda. The confrontation, which unfolded inside Terminal 4, left one officer with bite wounds, according to federal filings.
What federal records say
According to federal court documents, Atuhairwe tried to make a run for it during the layover after officers would not let him smoke a cigarette, as reported by AZFamily. The records state he sprinted through the terminal, knocked down older adults and children, and then threatened officers before they brought him to the ground. During the scuffle he allegedly bit the top of an officer’s left hand and the same officer’s right ring finger. The filings also note that an immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States in 2025.
His Wisconsin record
Local court reporting indicates Atuhairwe previously attended the University of Wisconsin–Superior as an international student and became the subject of sexual assault allegations in 2022. A county docket and related coverage reflect a no-contest plea and subsequent dispositions in 2023, according to the Superior Telegram. Those entries appear in public records that later surfaced in immigration paperwork tied to his removal case.
How the arrest unfolded
Court records reviewed by reporters state that as officers grappled with Atuhairwe, bystanders tried to pull the ICE officer away and that one person hit the officer in the head and shoulder while Phoenix police rushed in, according to AZFamily. In a post-incident interview, Atuhairwe told investigators he “lost his mind” and claimed the bite was accidental because he “could not breathe” and an officer’s “finger was in his mouth.” He also told police he wanted to apologize. Prosecutors have charged him with assault on a federal officer, and he remains in federal custody while his case moves forward.
Legal implications
Assaulting or impeding a federal officer is a crime under 18 U.S.C. § 111, which sets tiered penalties: up to one year in prison for simple assault, up to eight years when physical contact occurs, and up to 20 years if a deadly or dangerous weapon is used or bodily injury results, according to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School (18 U.S.C. § 111). The alleged biting and the reported injury to the officer’s finger could shape how aggressively federal prosecutors pursue enhanced penalties.
Why it matters at PHX
Phoenix Sky Harbor has been described as a key operational hub for ICE removal flights, and travelers have noticed a more visible federal presence at airports in recent months. Reporting from the Arizona Mirror and the Washington Post highlights how that increased enforcement footprint can turn already crowded terminals into complicated crime scenes when an arrest goes sideways.
Federal prosecutors will weigh the investigative record as they decide how to proceed toward any formal indictment. Atuhairwe is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court, and this story will be updated if new filings or official statements emerge.
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