Aviation officer James Long was filmed dragging Dr David Dao off a United Airlines plane. Photos / AP
Aviation officer James Long was filmed dragging Dr David Dao off a United Airlines plane. Photos / AP
New surveillance video shows the moments before a passenger was left bloodied and bruised after being forced out of his seat and dragged off an overbooked United Airlines plane.
It comes as the aviation officer behind the shocking incident gave his side of the story for the first time.
NBC News obtained surveillance footage and audio that showed Dr David Dao boarding the flight to Louisville, Kentucky on April 9.
The audio revealed that when Dr Dao refused to give up his seat to make room for crew members, gate workers called airport security.
"Were they drinking, were they doing anything like that?" the dispatcher asked in the call.
"No it's something with an oversold, involunteer [sic] something like that," the caller responded.
"Oh you guys overbooked the flight? This is a departing flight?" the dispatcher asked, to which the caller replied: "Yeah."
The surveillance footage showed an aviation security car pulling up to the plane before guards boarded the aircraft. Shortly after, Dao's wife was filmed running off and on the plane.
The officer, James Long, claimed Dao was verbally and physically abusive, and flailing his arms before he lost his balance and struck his mouth on an armrest.
The Chicago Department of Aviation on Monday released the officer's report of the incident, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Associated Press.
United CEO Oscar Munoz has apologised for the shocking incident. Photo / AP
Long said he boarded the United Express plane after being called to a disturbance involving two people regarding a refusal to leave the aircraft.
United has said four passengers had been ordered off the aeroplane to make room for four employees to fly to Louisville, Kentucky.
Long said he approached Dao to ask the 69-year-old physician to get off the plane. Long said Dao refused and "folded his arms tightly".
Long said he reached out to "hold" Dao and was able to pull him away from his window seat on the aircraft and move towards the aisle.
"But suddenly the subject started flailing and fighting," Long wrote.
Dao then knocked Long's hand off his arm, causing the struggling Dao to fall and strike his mouth on an armrest on the other side of the aisle, according to the report.
Long said he then dragged Dao because the physician refused to stand up. Long said he wrote the report and gave his version of events because he faced losing his job.
The video taken by a passenger reveals lots of screaming coming from behind the seats, then Dao being dragged by his arms down the aisle of the plane as the other passengers react with horror.
In a separate "Hospitalisation Case Report" released on Monday, the Chicago Police Department said Dao was seen striking his face against an armrest as aviation officers tried to escort him from the flight.
Neither report details Dao's injuries, but at a news conference days later, his lawyer said the doctor suffered a broken nose and a concussion, and lost two front teeth.
Long said he was able to remove Dao from the aeroplane. Long said that once off the plane and in the walkway back to the gate, Dao said he was a diabetic, but then got up off the floor and ran back onto the aircraft.
Long alleges Dao, while running back to the plane, said they'd have to kill him.
Long and two other aviation officers were subsequently placed on leave by the aviation department.
