The drunk passenger who grabbed a woman’s hair and spat in her face during a chaotic outburst on a Southwest Airlines flight is a New York City-based artist, who has worked with several high-profile brands such as Maybelline, Steve Madden, and Adidas, according to her online portfolio.
Leanna Perry, a 32-year-old illustrator, was caught on camera lashing out at other passengers and having a violent meltdown as both travelers and airline staff made desperate efforts to remove her from a plane at LaGuardia Airport early Tuesday morning. Perry’s bizarre outburst prompted some witnesses to say she appeared “possessed” before she was taken off the aircraft forcefully and charged with assault.
Violent Meltdown of a Fashionista
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A passenger who captured the bizarre incident on video told the Daily Mail that Perry was so violent, she even “knocked the glasses off a Southwest employee.” After being atken off the flight, Perry was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault, the Port Authority Police Department said.
Prior to her dramatic meltdown, Perry had showcased her artwork on her personal website and social media platforms — all of which she quickly took down after the Daily Mail reached out for comment.
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According to her now-deleted accounts, she had recently created pieces and worked for major brands like Adidas, MAC, Maybelline, Hot Topic, Shein, and more.
Her impressive portfolio also included art created for renowned fashion designers Betsey Johnson and Nicole Miller.
A year ago, she had announced on her now-removed LinkedIn profile that she began working for cosmetics giant Maybelline New York.
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In her position, Perry said that she would “be designing the look of the brand across all e-commerce platforms’ with the ‘iconic NYC brand.”
High-Flying Life
Perry lives in a sprawling one-bedroom apartment in a high-rise building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with a monthly rent of $4,000. Social media posts have shown her actively participating in New York City’s fashion scene, attending various runway shows and industry events.
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Originally from the small Midwestern town of Lee’s Summit, Missouri — located roughly half an hour from Kansas City — Perry was raised alongside her three brothers.
Perry has also worked with fashion designers Betsey Johnson and Nicole Miller, according to her online résumé.
Authorities said that Perry was “intoxicated” when she was removed from the plane prior to takeoff. Video footage captured her shouting at a female passenger, hurling the insult “fat ass bitch,” and forcefully pulling the woman’s hair.
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Video footage shows Perry screaming, “Shut the f–k up, don’t f–king touch me!” at the shocked woman before other passengers and airline crew stepped in to intervene.
Despite repeated requests from both the crew and fellow travelers to release the woman’s hair, Perry refused to let go.
Eventually, airline staff managed to separate them, restraining Perry by zip-tying her hands behind her back.
