NPR — NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis is speaking out after he says he was wrongfully handcuffed and removed from a United Airlines flight over the weekend following an incident with a flight attendant onboard.
In an Instagram post uploaded Monday, the former Denver Broncos running back says he and his family were onboard a United Airlines flight from Denver to Santa Ana, Calif., when the incident occurred on Saturday.
Davis says that the incident happened after his son requested a cup of ice during the beverage service part of the flight. The flight attendant onboard, according to Davis, “either didn’t hear or ignored [my son’s] request and continued past our row.”
“I calmly reached behind me and lightly tapped (the attendant’s) arm to get his attention to again ask for a cup of ice for my son,” Davis wrote. “His response and the events that followed should stun all of us.”
During the exchange, Davis alleges the flight attendant — who has not been publicly identified — shouted, “Don’t hit me,” and left the beverage cart to “hurriedly approach the front of the plane.” Davis says that he recalled both himself and other passengers onboard being “confused” after witnessing the reaction from the flight attendant.
“I thought nothing of it other than this particular employee was incredibly rude and blatantly wrong in his accusations of me hitting him. I did not see or interact with him further for the duration of the flight,” he added.’
The retired NFL player said that once the plane landed in California, six FBI and other law enforcement agents boarded the plane and placed him in handcuffs. He alleges that he was removed from the flight in front of his wife and children.
Davis says the incident left him “humiliated, embarrassed, powerless and angry.”
“During questioning, it was rightfully determined by the agents that this flight attendant was inaccurate in his accusation and the agents profusely apologized, even offering to support me and my family in any way possible,” he wrote.
