Government

Full Story Emerges About the Shirtless Boy Searched by TSA

On Sunday, we brought you the video of a shirtless boy apparently being searched by TSA agents in Salt Lake City. At the time, we were skeptical. Today we learn that skepticism was warranted. While the video is real, the way it has been portrayed is inaccurate.

(Read our original post and watch the video.)

The video’s poster has been identified as Utah Valley University student Luke Tait. In an interview with the Salt Lake City Tribune, Tait described the video he took: “Twice before the video starts, his dad had to hold him and pulled his arms up in a V-shape to allow the TSA agent to continue.”

The father pulled the boy’s shirt off “in frustration,” prompting an agent to shout, “Sir, sir!” Tait said.

But Tait’s description of the events over the weekend, included with his YouTube post, is a little different:

Lets get the facts straight first. Before the video started the boy went through a metal detector and didn’t set it off but was selected for a pat down. The boy was shy so the TSA couldn’t complete the full pat on the young boy. The father tried several times to just hold the boys arms out for the TSA agent but I guess it didn’t end up being enough for the guy. I was about 30 ft away so i couldn’t hear their conversation if there was any. The enraged father pulled his son shirt off and gave it to the TSA agent to search, that’s when this video begins. [Emphasis added]

Call me silly, but it appears we are lead to believe that the TSA agent told, or at least requested, the father to pull the boy’s shirt off — that’s the reason for the “but I guess it didn’t end up being enough for the guy” comment.

But according to TSA, Tait’s “facts” aren’t straight. In a response posted on the TSA blog, the administration says the boy did set off the metal detector and thus had to go through secondary screening. He was also never asked or told to disrobe.

“On November 19, a family was traveling through a TSA checkpoint at the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). Their son alarmed the walk through metal detector and needed to undergo secondary screening,” the blog says. “The boy‘s father removed his son’s shirt in an effort to expedite the screening.”

“No complaints were filed,” the blog says, “and the father was standing by his son for the entire procedure.”

In addition, the TSA goes out of its way to make sure passengers know that they won’t be asked to remove clothing. “It should be mentioned that you will not be asked to and you should not remove clothing (other than shoes, coats and jackets) at a TSA checkpoint,” the post adds. “If you’re asked to remove your clothing, you should ask for a supervisor or manager.”

After recording the incident, Tait told the Tribune he was ordered by a man in a dark suit who didn’t show a badge to delete the cell-phone video.

“He started to question me: ‘Why was I recording the procedures of TSA?’ ‘What are your plans with this video?’ ” Tait said. “I said it looked like something was going on; I never [before] saw a shirtless young boy getting patted down.”

“I said, ‘I’m not going to do that,’ … and left for my gate.”

Should we be skeptical again?

Comments (105)

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  • LIBERALSBEDAMNED
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:02am

    they are not allowed to treat terrorists like they do us americans in airports. that is inhumane

    Report Post » LIBERALSBEDAMNED  
  • APatriotFirst
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:01am

    If full dressed with burkas is NOT being groped or body scanned…….start dressing up the same way.
    It is quite comfortable clothing and look at the many ways to hide something or nothing. Fight fire with fire.

    Report Post »  
  • hempstead1944
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:59am

    Apparently, it did not prevent the pedophile TSA agent from putting his hands all over the youngster!
    Wake up folks, this is pathetic !

    Report Post »  
  • KTsayz
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:58am

    Johathan Seidl, why do you assume the TSA is telling the truth and not Luke Tait?

    The TSA has a vested interest in ensuring good propaganda for themselves and have everything to lose whenever the truth comes out. Mr Tait has nothing to lose except being intimidated by TSA agents.

    I find this blind acceptance of whatever the TSA says as being the ‘truth’ rather disturbing. This is not the TSA of the Bush admin. It is now under control of the most agressively left-leaning administration in the history of America and their sole purpose is to bring us into a new socialist era. They are eroding our Constitutional Rights and you defend them? After reading your apologist prose, I suspect you would have defended Woodrow Wilson, too! “Why, President Wilson loves this country and only wants to keep us safe.” With IRS agents and the Fed. Oh, we all will be believing that one once you write it up.

    I prefer to listen to Ron Paul who just proposed a new Bill which takes away the immunity given to the government and its agents by demanding they follow the laws as everyone else has to. If you, Johnathan, were to grope anyone, you would be arrested. So too should the TSA agents who grope. As Ron Paul says, the government is supposed to PROTECT our Rights, not take them away.

    Your piece is not about ‘questioning with boldness’. It is about accepting whatever BO et al say bcause you view us as sheep.

    Baaaaaaaad!

    Report Post »  
  • Scaz
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:46am

    Oh I see now. A small child wasn’t strip searched. He was just patted down like a terrorist captured on the battlefield, not because he set off the metal detector, but because he was selected for special handling.

    Yeah, I feel so much better now.

    Report Post » Scaz  
  • Bermuda Onion
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:45am

    Meanwhile, on the U.S., Mexico border thousand of illegals INCLUDING Al Qaeda terrorists are coming across by the thousands unscathed or patted down. This government is such a joke! Politically correctness will kill this nation and the democRATS do not see anything wrong with that.

    Report Post »  
  • Perpetua
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:43am

    So what that the father didn’t file a complaint and the alarm went off?

    That is NOT a reason to bodily manhandle any of us, and especially a child, which happens to be a crime anywhere else!

    Yes, pay attention to the food safety bill and net neutrality…BUT do not let them get away with this? Maybe those bills are to distract us from this???? Once you get people to accept this, it’s all downhill.

    As for me and mine, we will not travel by air til this is stopped…have already changed plans for 2 trips because of this.

    Why aren’t the airlines speaking up? They are going to lose a lot of business…great for the recovery, huh?

    Report Post »  
  • 13thgenerati0namerican
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:38am

    I hate TSA, and I will do whatever it takes to stop them in their tracks. Mr. Obama please stop the TSA from destroying this fine country and everything it stands for. Stop letting the TSA become the Gestapo, they are allready singling out jews to be screened at a rate of 90% higher than 2 weeks ago!

    Report Post » 13thgenerati0namerican  
  • dmforman
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:37am

    Not sure what is happening in America right now, but it reminds me more and more of the rise of Hilter. Where good people followed rules like sheep and did very bad things because their government asked them to do it. It is a very sad time in America, and one that I hope we are able to come out okay or mildly hurt on the other side.

    Report Post »  
    • PubliusPencilman
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:39am

      So patdowns are the same as ethnic cleansing? You are an idiot, plan and simple. Not everything is like Nazi Germany.

       
    • davecoolworld
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 11:01am

      PubliusPencilman…Nazi Germany did not begin the way it is remembered. It began much softer, much like what is happening here. If history repeats, it always does, we will see our rights eroding…also now happening here. Where will it all lead? Perhaps not much of a stretch to think it is possible, even here if we are not careful. The TSA is an arm of the Federal Government, and what is happening is on domestic flights. This is not done on international flights. Our PC would is out of control. Perhaps you could consider that this is a way to control movement. People are becoming more uncomfortable to fly, so will be driving more. How many police checkpoints do you see these days? I see them in my town a couple of days each week. Be it sobriety checkpoints on the weekends or seatbelt checks during the week. Another side effect is the airline industry will suffer greatly thereby creating layoffs and more people dependent on the government. Thus creating a situation where the airlines need a bailout. It is also a way to desensitize people for more intrusions in their lives. This is all part of a larger plan. It is all connected, just connect the dots and you will see.

      Report Post » davecoolworld  
    • PubliusPencilman
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:54pm

      Davecoolworld,
      I think you should take another look at your history, because you’re missing a few steps in your narrative of the rise of Nazi Germany. But OK… let’s play this game–
      Let’s see…
      A small but very vocal faction, under the guise of patriotism, insisting the country is headed towards distaster. It seeks power at all costs. This same faction incessantly attempts to weed out those who are ideologically impure (RINOs). Rhetoric includes the possibility of overthrowing the government (2nd Amendment solutions). Attempts to take advantage of economic downturn….
      Nazis or the Tea Party? Hard to tell really.

      You may say this is a stupid comparison, and I heartily agree. So please stop being so stupid.

      Report Post »  
  • grandma of 9
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:29am

    I remember going from Pgh to Las Vegas 4 years ago with my grandchildren, My 4 year old granddaughter freaked out when she got yelled at by the TSA agent for touching the “walls” going thru the scanner. Poor thing had no idea why she was being yelled at….and they wouldn’t let her parents help her out either. Found them very rude!

    Report Post »  
  • NickDeringer
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:29am

    Bravo to The Blaze for not falling for the hype and spin.
    Bravo also to The Blaze for focusing on more relevant stories. You guys have the opportunity to be a real voice for truth in a world full of Huffington-Post-wanabees.

    Keep up the great work.

    I agree with Glenn. We are being set up with this TSA thing:

    1. If there‘s an attack they will say it’s the American people’s fault because they made us stop the pat downs.

    2. They have some real intelligence of an impending attack and they are in panic mode.

    3. They will take all the complaints and say the TSA needs to unionize so they can be protected by a union contract.

    Report Post » NickDeringer  
    • tellin_you_now
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:52pm

      And, once the TSA in unionized they will have power to shut down all air travel whenever the leaders of their union decide.

      Report Post »  
  • Beeree
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:26am

    If I were the father I might get disgusted and take my kids shirt off and throw it at the TSA groper myself. When does this ridiculousness end? What do we do when a real threat makes it through this joke of a security virtual strip search or public groping? Full body cavity searches? Maybe we just need to submit to the bloated federal government tracking everything we do say and purchase. But even that won’t keep us safe, but maybe it will keep the bureaucrats safe in their seats in Washington. We won‘t be safe until political correctness is dead and the federal government is put back in it’s place as being subject to the people and the states!

    Report Post »  
  • cubber
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:21am

    The terrorists are winning. TOO much money and resources wasted on this process. SHUT the borders and don’t let them in. We can take care of those within our borders that choose to harm us.

    Report Post » cubber  
  • 13thgenerati0namerican
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:19am

    You friend are a spammer and need to be deleted by the staff here at “The Flame” If you continue to try and hock your wares here on this site I will be forced to lodge a formal complaint to management

    13thgenerati0namerican  
  • Alfy
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:18am

    This opinion piece is garbage. My daughter can write better than this. The you tube video clearly implied the father took the shirt off out of frustration. The comments never left so much as a hint that the TSA officer asked the father to remove the shirt. If your so determined to throuw your 4th amendments right out the window go right ahead. Leave me and my family alone. For now i chose NOT to use commercial airliners. My choice. Opinion pieces like this leads my imagination to run wild. If the terrorist get through and bomb a mall, will me and my family have to show my papers at checkpoints? Could this happen in 10-20 yrs ? If you sacrifice your freedon for security you deserve NEITHER!!

    Report Post »  
  • Rob
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:15am

    BIG BROTHER is watching… and doesn’t want US to be watching them.

    Remember, remember…

    Report Post »  
  • steinie44
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:14am

    On Nov 24th, we need to remove ALL our clothing.

    Report Post » steinie44  
    • 13thgenerati0namerican
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:27am

      ooooh I’m all for that girlfriend. Lets streak the airports on the real tip! lets go BUCK WILD AmericA

      Report Post » 13thgenerati0namerican  
  • 13thgenerati0namerican
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:13am

    Americans should leave the airports. Just stop flying stop polluting our globe! can‘t you idiots get it through your heads that it’s the chem trails that the planes leave behind them that is getting us all sick with cancers and arthritits? You wake up America stop believeing the right and listen to Obama! he will guide us to a safer world, safe from land mines and safe from cancer!

    13thgenerati0namerican  
    • FedUP
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 10:47am

      Now see, I bet you were one of the millions who voted for Obama that thought he was running on the platform of hope and change when in all actuality his platform was “grope and chains.”

      13th generation American- you have serious freedom issues. How you can sit here on this board and defend Obama is beyond any reasonable comprehension. I ask you to set aside, for a moment, YOUR personal love and desire for socialism and just answer the question, do you honestly believe that Obama has upheld and defended the United States constitution? The one definitive oath that all presidents must take? Before you answer, think about this- would it be right if I were elected president of a socialistic or communist government under the guise that I would maintain such a government only to immediately begin implementing the policies of capitalism and democracy? And- if you were a citizen under this government and LIKED this form of government wouldn’t you be pissed as hell that I was changing your beloved socialism to a capitalistic democracy? The point is, those people who are proponents of socialism, Marxism, communism, and/or totalitarianism should just move to a country where these forms of government already exist- there are plenty of them. It’s that simple. Let those who love their freedom remain free. Let those who want a capitalistic economy keep their capitalistic economy. Let those people who want to be in charge of their own futures remain in charge of their own futures.

      Report Post » BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?  
    • janddjohnson
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 11:37am

      Oh wow another clueless person. I guess you are pro Al Gore also.

      Report Post » Deanna in Missouri  
  • the_ancient
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:12am

    Yep Good to see Glenn Beck and Gang till defending the TSA…..

    -1 for Freedom

    the_ancient  
  • Alfy
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:11am

    Add your comments

    Report Post »  
  • 13thgenerati0namerican
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:10am

    Firsties!!!!!!

    Report Post » 13thgenerati0namerican  
  • janedough1
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:08am

    Okay, so in all the forty-two stories about TSA patdowns, is anyone paying any attention to SB510? Isn’t that supposed to go to a vote in the next couple of days?

    Report Post »  
    • RightUnite
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:17am

      What is SB510? Haven’t heard about that.

      Report Post »  
    • RightUnite
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:18am

      Food Safety Bill???

      Report Post »  
    • Alfy
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:21am

      No, it just left commite and passed for debate. Something to look out for in the future. The more serious threat is net nuetrality which could be as close as a month awary from a vote

      Report Post »  
    • Reagan/Demint.deciple
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:22am

      You’re right, this is what they do.. It’s called distract, distract, distract and then pass an unpopular bill in the night.. Right out of Saul Alynski’s book,“ rules for radicals ”.. BTW , I can’t believe that Harry Reid got voted back in.. People are afraid of change but claim that’s ALL they want..

      Report Post » one years food ration like glenn says  
    • KeelyinFL
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:25am

      Thank YOU for bringing this up! I’ve been tweeting the info and all everyone wants to do is talk about the TSA…. Must look at the other hand, which is S.510, FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. It is possible the Senate could vote as early as 6:15pm TODAY!

      Report Post » KeelyinFL  
    • bcgunner
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:32am

      janedough1, you are correct… While this TSA garbage is way out of line, and may I say “sick and wrong” it is designed to be just that. They can anger and frustrate us while distracting us at the same time, and with the other hand they slide in and pass SB 510 (the food safety act) and lets not forget the “Dream Act” etc. with all the things attached to them. One thing that rings true is every time is when ever we get a story being pushed this hard there is something worse for us going on in the shadows.

      Report Post »  
  • grandmaof5
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:06am

    P.S. Never said what triggered the alarm.

    Report Post »  
    • Beeree
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:19am

      My bet would be that they never did find what set off the alarm. Just like other stoires I’ve heard where they think they see something suspicious in a bag so they search it and never find out what it was.

      Report Post »  
    • metalurgy
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:05am

      Yup, happened to me three years ago, the last time I ever flew. Secret compartment in my backpack that I’d forgot about had a leatherman multi-tool in it. TSA wouldn’t let me have access to my pack to show them the compartment. The idiots ran it through xray several times but couldn’t find where it was. They finally let me pack all my stuff back in the bag an let me go, multi-tool and all.

      Morons. And the last time I ever flew. Not worth the hassel. Driving is my choice. A little more inconvenient, but a lot cheaper.

      Report Post » metalurgy  
    • HughJidette
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:40am

      Probably his belt buckle was all that set it off. I traveled with one of my young daughters, a couple of years before all of this “pat down nightmare” escalated. She has ADHD, and is very fidgety. I guess she moved around too much in line, so they scanned her with their little wand, and it went off. Obviously, it was her belt buckel. She had no other metal on her, and it went off at her waist–but, we were taken from the line. She had to remove her belt, and I was told to remove my shoes, and they scanned me, as well, just because we were traveling together. I would not travel by plane, now.

      And I read another poster here, from the other day, who wrote the same thing you do: believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear! That motto should be T-shirt worthy. If you can’t verify by numerous sources, and more favorably, see it with your own eyes, you should reserve judgement.

      Report Post » HughJidette  
    • Taquoshi
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:38pm

      They’ve been doing that for many, many, many years. We flew to Hawaii in ‘84 (I know, SO last century) and my spouse brought a guitar for a musical presentation. It’s a Martin and they were crawling all over the case. When we asked if there was a problem, we were told no, but they scanned it another four or five times. Finally, one of the other security people, who was obviously a musician, walked over and opened the case, carefully lifted the guitar out and opened the storage compartment under the neck of the guitar. There were our two travel microphones that we used a great deal. The other agents were furious with us, claiming we’d “hidden” them. I replied that if they told us what the problem was, we would have been happy to show them the mikes. The agent who “found” the mikes calmly pointed out that every Martin guitar (and almost every other case we’ve personally come across) has this storage compartment. For a while, it looked like they were going to impound the guitar and the mikes, but thought better of it and let us go. On our return flight, I had the mikes in a carry on bag, and handed them for inspection to the agent, who was quite surprised. Then I had him watch me as we replaced the mikes in the storage compartment and locked the case. He couldn’t figure out what the fuss was, but it was easier than being accused of “hiding” them.

      Report Post » Taquoshi  
  • grandmaof5
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:05am

    Don’t believe anything you hear (read) and only half of what you see. Question with boldness!

    Report Post »  
  • mizflame98
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:04am

    Hmmmmm

    Report Post » mizflame98  
    • 13thgenerati0namerican
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:30am

      My friend Dan Foster has stated on numerous episodes of his hit show “Greener Planet, Greener you” that if you were to fire the TSA that the terrorist would have no other option but to live peacefully with us. The TSA is feeding off of the terrorism in America, I mean they were’nt even in most airports until Sept 11th! The TSA is no better than the pharmaceutical companies that refuse to cure diabetes as they make so much money off the lancets that we use to take our blood sugar. They are a cancer and will destroy us and our freedoms. Everyone needs to check out the weblog of my friend Dan Foster and read up on this travesty affecting us all. TSA MUST GO!

      13thgenerati0namerican  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:46pm

      It really doesn’t change anything. The boy was being sexually molested by a TSA pervert. Why do I make that statement? Following orders is not sufficient reason to break the law. If the parent assisted, he is also guilty of breaking the law by assisting the TSA agent. Patting down a child is the very same thing as touching his genitals. (Check with Gloria Allred about that.) The child cannot give permission for this and if his guardian does, the guardian is also complicit.

      Report Post »  
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