A Delta Airlines pilot was removed from a boarded flight and arrested Tuesday morning after police suspected he was intoxicated.
Gabriel Lyle Schroeder, 37, of Rosemount, Minnesota, was taken into custody at around 11:00 a.m at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, airport spokesman Patrick Hogan told CNN.
He was scheduled to fly Delta 1728 to San Diego, according to ABC affiliate KSTP.
Police reportedly conducted two sobriety checks on Schroeder after he drew suspicion during TSA screening. One of the tests found that he was intoxicated and the other test is still pending results.
Officers noticed that the pilot left a pre-boarding TSA screening line for crew members after he saw they were conducting additional screening, according to Hogan.
“The individual left the line, which drew suspicion,” Hogan told CNN.
Schroeder later re-entered the line and proceeded to board the plane. Once onboard, authorities intercepted the pilot and found that he was in possession of a “bottle” of alcohol. He was taken into custody and released later Tuesday.
Delta Airlines did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request to comment.
The passengers on the flight had to disembark after Schroeder’s arrest and their departure was slightly delayed.
Hogan told CNN that no formal charges were filed against Schroeder at this time, and any formal complaint is pending investigation and toxicology results — which could take up to a week.
Delta Airlines spokeswoman Kate Modolo confirmed to CNN that the airline was cooperating with authorities to investigate the incident.
“Delta’s alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry and we have no tolerance for violation. Delta is cooperating with local authorities in their investigation,” she said in a statement to the outlet.
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