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Former Denver Bronco Terrell Davis was arrested on a flight after he tapped an attendant on the shoulder. The retired Hall of Famer took to Instagram to share the traumatic experience aboard a United Airlines aircraft.
The running back explained that he was taking “a United flight from Denver to Orange County with [his] wife, two sons and daughter.” His sons are 11 and 13, while his daughter is 9 years old. The incident occurred during “beverage service” when his son requested a cup of ice.
Terrell Davis said the male flight attendant “didn’t hear or either ignored his request and continued to pass our row.” Since the United employee wasn’t responding to verbal cues, he “lightly tapped the man on his arm.” Things immediately took a turn. The flight attendant yelled back, “Don’t hit me and left the cart to hurriedly approach the front of the plane.”
Davis said that the man was out of sight for the remainder of the flight. Furthermore, he didn’t think much more about the situation.
Davis and his family couldn’t have predicted that things would take such a shocking turn after landing. The legendary footballer said the pilot instructed, “all passengers to remain seated.” He had no clue that the “six FBI and law enforcement agents” who boarded the flight were coming for him. Terrell said when he was seated, handcuffs were placed on his wrists. None of the officials explained why he was being arrested.
He told Good Morning America, “I felt demoralized. I felt embarrassed, humiliated. I felt like my dignity was stripped from me right in front of my children and my family.” Furthermore, his wife, Tamiko, was in disbelief. She asked him if it was a “prank,” to which he softly replied, “No.”
When she asked the agents why they were arresting him and where she should go to assist her husband, she wasn’t given any information. Moreover, she was moved to tears when she recalled her sons witnessing their father being removed from the plane.
In Terrell’s Instagram statement, he said that officials discovered the flight attendant’s story was “inaccurate” and repeatedly “apologized” to him.
Since sharing his story, Davis stated that “lots of people” have reached out, stating “the same thing happened to them.” The retired pro athlete is vocal about the incident in hopes that he will “effect change.”
In a statement released to Channel 2 Action News, United Airlines verified that they “removed the flight attendant from duty while [they] review this matter.” The company reps also reached out to the Davis’ attorneys and apologized, but Tamiko says they have not contacted them personally.
