--- description: Incident reports describe Dr. David Dao, who was forcibly removed from an overbooked United Airlines flight as "aggressive" title: Police Reports Blame United Airlines Passenger for Injuries image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta265353a65d7da0c/6988ca6e7cdbac3498d580cc/gettyimages-667729560.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Aviation](/tag/aviation/) ## Aviation Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Police Reports Blame United Passenger for Injuries He Sustained While Dragged Off Flight ## Video: Dr. David Dao Suffered a Concussion and a Broken Nose After Being Dragged Off a United Flight [Watch (HLS stream): Dr. David Dao Suffered a Concussion and a Broken Nose After Being Dragged Off a United Flight](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Mh489yNt.m3u8) (1:10)  _Published 2017-04-13. According to his attorney._ by [Joseph Hincks](/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 25, 2017 2:34 AM CUT  United airplanes outside the company's hangar at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey, on April 12, 2017. United airplanes outside the company's hangar at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey, on April 12, 2017.Timothy Fadek—Bloomberg/Getty Images by [Joseph Hincks](/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 25, 2017 2:34 AM CUT Dr. David Dao, whose [forcible removal](http://time.com/4733652/united-airlines-chicago-passenger-officer-leave/ "undefined") from an overbooked United Airlines flight unleashed a PR maelstrom for the carrier, was “aggressive” and “flailing his arms” [as he fought](http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-united-dao-20170424-story.html "undefined") with officers. That’s according to incident reports filed by the Chicago aviation officers who dragged him from the plane. [The reports](http://documents.latimes.com/incident-report-about-passengers-removal-united-flight/ "undefined"), released on Monday in response to Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Los Angeles _Times_ and others, show that the officers portrayed a significantly different version of events from those depicted in videos Dao’s fellow passengers filmed on their cellphones. The videos — which have been viewed by millions around the world and prompted [several apologies](http://time.com/4735141/united-airlines-ceo-oscar-munoz-apology-passenger-removal/ "undefined") from United CEO Oscar Munoz — show officers wrenching Dao from his seat. The passenger then hits his head on an armrest before being dragged down the aisle. Two of the aviation officers’ reports blame Dao for his injuries. One, filed by an officer named James Long, alleges: “the subject started swinging his arms up and down with a closed fist. Ofc. Long was able to grab the subject and pull him away from the window seat towards the aisle. But suddenly the subject started flailing and fighting.” According to Long, it was Dao knocking the officer’s arm away, “which caused the subject to fall, hit, and injured his mouth on the armrest on the other side of the aisle.” Thomas Demetrio, the Chicago personal injury lawyer representing Dao told the _Times_ that the aviation officers’ reports were “utter nonsense.” \[[_LA Times_](http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-united-dao-20170424-story.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4753613/united-dragging-police-reports-dao/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4753613/united-dragging-police-reports-dao/"},"headline":"Police Reports Blame United Passenger for Injuries He Sustained While Dragged Off Flight","datePublished":"2017-04-25T02:34:55.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T04:35:08.844Z","description":"The officers' reports contradict videos of the incident seen by millions around the world","url":"https://time.com/4753613/united-dragging-police-reports-dao/","keywords":["Aviation","united airlines","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta265353a65d7da0c/6988ca6e7cdbac3498d580cc/gettyimages-667729560.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph Hincks","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/joseph-hincks/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta265353a65d7da0c/6988ca6e7cdbac3498d580cc/gettyimages-667729560.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"United Continental Holdings Inc. 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