A newly released video shows the moment federal agents handcuffed and escorted former Denver running back Terrell Davis off a United Airlines flight.
The video — which appears to have been filmed by another passenger on the plane — shows a federal agent leaning over, handcuffing Davis while the man is still sitting in his seat and escorting the ex-football player off the plane.
Davis’ wife, Tamiko, can be seen standing across the plane aisle, trying to talk to the federal agents and find out what’s going on.
“I see them go straight to Terrell and put him in handcuffs, and I jumped up,” she said in a previous interview with CBS. “I kept asking Terrell, I said, ‘Is this a joke, are you joking?’ I thought, ‘What else could it be? This is some cruel practical prank he’s pulling on me.’ “
Tamiko was sitting with the pair’s 9-year-old daughter across the aisle from Davis and their 13-year-old and 11-year-old sons.
“I felt helpless. I remember watching them place handcuffs on Terrell and seeing my two sons there,” she said. “As a mom, as a Black mom raising two Black sons, you work really hard to not have your children have those types of experiences. And we were simply going on vacation. This is something that we’ll never get back.”
The family was flying from Denver to Orange County, California when one of Davis’ sons requested a cup of ice.
Davis said he lightly tapped the flight attendant on the arm to get his attention and ask for the ice when the United staffer shouted, “Don’t hit me!” and hurried to the front of the plane, leaving the beverage cart behind.
The former running back said he had no idea there was a problem until the United flight landed in Southern California and federal agents handcuffed him, as shown in the video.
“The agent walks up to me, and he leans over and whispers, ‘Don’t fight it’ — and puts the cuffs on me,” Davis said. “I felt powerless. I felt embarrassed. … I didn’t get a chance to explain what was happening. He didn’t tell me what was happening.”
In a previous statement, United Airlines officials said they had apologized to the family and that the flight attendant involved in the encounter has been removed from duty while they “closely review this matter.”
Davis’ attorney, Parker Stinar, said the family plans to file a lawsuit for false accusations and emotional distress.
“After hearing the story of Mr. Davis and the collective response from the global community, we have reason to believe United Airlines has a history of similar injustices against numerous individuals with predominant themes of a lack of training and a lack of respect for your customers,” Stinar wrote in a letter of representation to United CEO Scott Kirby. “Be advised, any litigation will be focused and targeted at exposing all wrongdoings under your leadership that arise from similar facts and circumstances.”
