AA Pilot murdered on SJU layover?
 

I just read a post on FB from a guy that said his son, Matthew Stapula, an American Airlines pilot, was murdered while on a SJU layover yesterday. If that's the case, I'm so sorry to read that. Everyone be vigilant on their layovers.

Fbcpa (a UAL guy)

https://www.wbtv.com/2020/02/04/char...o-family-says/

Possibly was at Piedmont ?

RIP

I'm not sure. I was only reading what the victim's dad put online (that he was an American Airlines pilot). Doing a little FB-stalking...his personal page says he was hired by American Airlines in 2018. I'm not sure if that's something that the regional guys do (claim "American" rather than their regional name), or not.

Either way, tragic.

All that I'll say is he was indeed an AA FO. He was an innocent passerby in the wrong place at the wrong time in SJU. Very sad day for him and his family.

Piedmont Flow Through to AA in 2018. He was on a Trip.

Wow that is sad.


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From experience, it doesn't matter how much you explain to the non-airline folks in your life that you work for Piedmont/Envoy/PSA, they will tell everyone else that you work for American... it's just easier for them and they don't care about the distinction. And that's the first thing I thought when I read your post. That said, he does appear to be an American pilot.

In any case, sad story.

He was a pdt flow. Spent 10 years at the regional. just shy of 3 years at AA. He was on his last mia trip before going to clt where he was from. This is hurting everyone badly. Matt was an incredible family man, wonderful pilot and very sincere. He also was one of the best RC heli AC pilots i’ve ever seen. Gonna be a very hard memorial for the pdt family and everyone else who has became friends w him at AA. RIP spatch

Shot while smoking outside here, along with couple bouncers.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Di...67445?hl=en-us

Apparently the patron who opened fired was upset about an almost $1000 alcohol tab.

What’s the source for that info?

Puerto Rican news. The article has been posted on AA pilots facebook pages.

Really nice guy. Was in my indoc class. Very sad.

Confirmed we live in San Juan. The news has been showing security camera videos of him outside the club at the ATM getting money. It is so sad.

Such a sad and tragic event. My prayers are with the family and friends of Mr. Stapula.

While I am not familiar with the location of this incident, but I think this tragedy should shed light on the potential dangers we face in areas we fly to and layover at. Vigilance alone is not sufficient to keep yourself safe. Many cities we serve, domestic and international, are not safe places. It should be our utmost priority with the next contract to secure safe areas for our layovers, especially in places like San Juan, South/ Central America, etc., and not to mention the awful downtown areas we stay in domestically.

Again, condolences and prayers to the family and friends of the deceased. Stay safe out there brothers.

I feel really badly for the wife and family. Not only very sad to lose your husband but also where he was when it happened. I agree our int'l overnights can be sketchy, one hotel in SJU is literally right next door to a "male chicken" fighting business. But I don't agree our overnights domestically are bad, I haven't stayed at a sketchy place since US Airways...and even then the sketchy places were in good areas like the Sherry or Palos Verdes.

Very sad indeed. Many prayers and wishes for his family.

I started my career with Eagle based in SJU. My crash pad was just down the street from this location.
We used to walk to the airport for morning Ready Reserve....seems that things are far worse now than they were in 2004.

Sad that someone loses their life over a bar tab.

It's 6 miles from the airport. You walked it?

The location of the shooting isn’t directly where he walked from, but nearby. I was based there in 2000–trust me, many of us that either crashed or lived around Isla Verde walked it.

Condolences to the family and friends.

I've been to that club, multiple times. I've also lived in Isla Verde. It's not a walking distance. It's a good 5 mile haul from District to Isla Verde.
Isla Verde to the airport is walkable, Santurce to airport isn't. (well, it is but it's a good 1.5 hours to walk).

But at least it's not hot and humid......wait....what?

Very sad event. It behooves everyone to have your affairs in order as you never know when your number comes up.

Not that anyone deserves this, but perhaps hanging around a shady establishment in a 3rd world country isn't the best of ideas because of the type of people that hang around? Just sayin'

This is the type of comment I expect from someone who think Puerto Rico is a country.

Do you know that puerto rico is part of the United States, don’t you?

A post said this was near the cockfight ring. I assumed it was near the location in Isla Verde.
I used to ride with the AA crews to their hotel in Isla Verde following evening ready reserve.
For early morning ready reserve, the buses didn’t run....so we would cut behind the Embassy Suites and Pueblo grocery store and hoof it to the airport. About a 20 min walk IFRC

No, one of our hotels is near the cockfighting place (near is an understatement, it's right next to it).

I'm not gonna pile on but I get what they are saying. Go to the USVI, same thing.

Obviously I know they are a territory, but the emphasis was on "3rd world"

Go ahead and give this man the "dumbest comment of the year" award now..I know we're only two months in, but this one will be tough to beat.

Maybe the President of Puerto Rico can hand it to him personally.

Bottom line is wrong place at the wrong time. It could happen to anyone. RIP to him and condolences to his family and friends.

You completely missed the point.

That area seems pretty benign to me. Last year took a vacay and stayed a week at El San Juan Hotel and went to a few of the restaurants/walked around at night and stuff. Seemed fairly chill around there. Maybe nothing phases me?


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I don’t think we did. We heard what you said loud and clear.

Yeah that area is fine. Isla Verde is touristy and safe enough. Just don’t go west of Pizza City!


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He obviously does not.

Donald Trump?

Nah, man...you blew that dog whistle loud enough that we all heard it. We got it. Loud and clear.

Glad to see more continental folks on this thread calling out this obvious ethoncentric dogwhistle for what it is. Getting tired as a PR native of having to constantly defend against this persistent Insular Cases styled trope from the civics-challenged cohort of CONUS dwellers. It's def encouraging, maybe we will see political parity/enfranchisement for PR in the US Congress in my lifetime after all.

I have a feeling you are more third world than Puerto Rico.

Growing up, my mother did not want to go to Hawaii. It requires a passport is what she told me. Absolutely serious.