WASHINGTON (AP) — Airports serving Washington, D.C., Baltimore and some cities in Virginia briefly halted all flights Friday evening because of what federal authorities said was a strong chemical smell at the flight center that controls traffic into the airports.
According to a spokesperson with the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily stopped traffic at at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport and Richmond International Airport because of a the chemical odor at the Potomac TRACON.
The TRACON is a terminal radar approach control facility that manages air traffic for those regions, according to the FAA website.
FAA spokeswoman Kristen Alsop said Friday that controllers were coming back to work and normal flight operations should return to normal soon.
Baltimore-Washington International Airport said in a post on the social platform X that the FAA’s ground stop impacting flights to and from the airport had been lifted, but that “some residual flight delays can be expected this evening.”
New York City Emergency Management warned travelers that flights to Washington might be significantly delayed Friday night.
“Travelers to the DC area should expect possible ground holds, departure delays, and cancellations, and check directly with your airline before heading to the airport,” the agency said in a post on X.
It was the second time this month that airports in the region have had to halt flights because of a chemical smell at the Potomac facility. The previous ground stop, which lasted about an hour, was the result of a strong odor that was traced to a circuit, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in an X posting.
Operations resumed in that incident after firefighters confirmed there was no danger to air traffic controllers.
A traveler walks along the concourse at Reagan National Airport, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The man convicted in the fatal 2021 attack of an older Thai man in San Francisco, which galvanized a movement against anti-Asian hate, will be able to avoid prison time, a judge ruled Thursday.
Antoine Watson, 25, was sentenced to eight years for manslaughter in the death of Vicha Ratanapakdee, 84. But, having already spent five years in jail awaiting trial, Watson received credit for time served, and San Francisco Superior Court Judge Linda Colfax said he could have the remaining three years suspended if he follows the rules of his probation.
Ratanapakdee's daughter, Monthanus, expressed her family's disappointment in a statement shared by Justice For Vicha, the foundation named for her father.
“We respect the court process. However, this is not about revenge — it is about accountability,” she said. “When consequences do not reflect the seriousness of the harm, it raises concerns about how we protect our seniors and public safety.”
Vicha Ratanapakdee was out for his usual morning walk in the quiet neighborhood he lived in with his wife, daughter and her family when Watson charged at him and knocked him to the ground. Ratanapakdee never regained consciousness and died two days later.
Watson testified on the stand that he was in a haze of confusion and anger at the time of the unprovoked attack, according to KRON-TV. He said he lashed out and didn’t know that Ratanapakdee was Asian or older.
His attorney, Anita Nabha, a managing attorney in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, said the judge “rightfully” weighed other factors such as Watson’s age at the time of the attack and the importance of rehabilitation.
“Today was an important day for everyone impacted by this case,” Nabha said, adding, “Watson and his mother read statements expressing remorse and compassion on behalf of their family for Mr. Ratanapakdee’s family.”
Footage of the attack was captured on a neighbor's security camera and spread across social media, prompting a surge in activism over a rise in anti-Asian crimes driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of people across several U.S. cities commemorated the anniversary of Ratanapakdee’s death in 2022, seeking justice for Asian Americans who have been harassed, assaulted and even killed in alarming numbers.
Asians in America have long been subject to prejudice and discrimination, but the attacks escalated sharply after COVID-19 first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. More than 10,000 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were reported to the Stop AAPI Hate coalition from March 2020 through September 2021.
While the Ratanapakdee family asserts he was attacked because of his race, hate crime charges were not filed and the argument was not raised in trial. Prosecutors have said hate crimes are difficult to prove absent statements by the suspect.
FILE - Monthanus Ratanapakdee holds a photo of her father, Vicha Ratanapakdee, and stands in front of the San Francisco apartment building where he was attacked last year and later died of his injuries, Jan. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Terry Chea, File)
