DENVER (AP) — Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis said Monday he was “humiliated” after being handcuffed and removed from a United Airlines flight, later apologizing by police over the weekend.
Davis, who previously played for the Denver Broncos, wrote in an Instagram post that he tapped a flight attendant on the arm, prompting the employee to shout “don’t hit me” and rush to the front of the plane.
Once the flight from Denver to Orange County, California landed, Davis wrote, law enforcement boarded the plane, handcuffed Davis without explanation and removed him from the flight.
“I was – and remain – humiliated, ashamed, powerless and angry,” Davis wrote.
During his questioning, Davis said police determined the flight attendant’s allegations were unfounded and apologized.
United Airlines said in a statement that they contacted Davis’ team to apologize and fired the flight attendant while they reviewed the incident.
“This is clearly not the type of travel experience we want to provide,” the statement said.
FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller said in a statement that agents and law enforcement partners at John Wayne Airport in Orange County responded to a report of an incident on board a flight, and arrested and subsequently released a cooperating individual.
Concluding his Instagram post, Davis demanded an investigation into the flight attendant “who blatantly lied and caused unnecessary harm to me and my family.”
Parker Stinar, Davis’ attorney, said in a statement: “We intend to fully investigate the events that occurred and are actively contacting United Airlines in this matter.”