Atlanta ( CNN ) A passenger on an Atlanta-bound Air Canada flight told a CNN reporter on the plane Friday that a stranger sitting behind him tried to choke him . Oliver Minatel , 22 , said he was sleeping on Air Canada Flight 8623 from Toronto when he felt something around his neck . `` With a rope , something that he has , he just jumped on me . That 's what happened , '' Minatel told CNN 's Paula Newton moments after the incident . She was seated four rows behind Minatel , a professional soccer player traveling with his team . The incident occurred about a half-hour before the flight landed , after the pilots had begun their descent . `` I forced it ( the cord ) down and then other people came to help , and then I got out and he started saying that we were here to kill him , '' Minatel said . The man was not restrained for the rest of the trip , but the flight crew told him to stay seated with his seat belt on . The man kept trying to get out of his seat but other passengers yelled at him whenever he tried to stand up . The two-hour flight landed at Atlanta 's Hartsfield airport at about 4:30 p.m. where it was met by U.S. authorities . The suspect was escorted off the plane . An FBI spokesman confirmed the agency responded to the incident . `` The passenger , however , was transported for medical/mental evaluation under the direction and coordination of the Atlanta Police Department , '' Special Agent Stephen Emmett said . `` While there are currently no federal charges pending , the facts of the matter are being relayed to the U.S. Attorney 's Office in Atlanta . '' Minatel , a forward from Brazil , was traveling with his teammates from the Ottawa Fury Football Club of the second-division North American Soccer League . They are scheduled to play the Atlanta Silverbacks on Saturday . `` We 're very thankful to everyone who came to the aid of Oliver and relieved that he 's O.K . and ready to play in our game , '' Fury FC Head Coach Marc Dos Santos said in a statement posted on the team 's website . Several witnesses said they saw the suspect try to choke Minatel with the cord of his headphones . Kevin Kerr says he was seated next to the suspect . `` He was talking about how this soccer team was trying to kill him . I thought he was maybe a deranged fan , '' said Kerr . Kerr said he fell asleep and he awakened to see the suspect trying to choke Minatel . `` I assisted to make sure that did n't happen , '' Kerr said . The Canadian businessman said he and members of the soccer team kept a close eye on the suspect as the plane landed to make sure he did not threaten other passengers .
Oliver Minatel , a 22-year - old boy from Brazil , was attacked from behind , he says . Witnesses say suspect tried to kill him with the microphone from his headphones . suspect moving forward is OK , will play video games ; suspect was taken for evaluation .