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CHICAGO — (AP) A United Airlines spokesman says airline employees were “following the right procedures” when they called police who then dragged a man off a plane at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Charles Hobart says the employees were justified in calling law enforcement Sunday night to remove the man because the flight was overbooked and couldn’t leave for Louisville, Kentucky, with too many passengers on board.

He said in an email that United employees had asked for volunteers and when none were forthcoming, four were selected to leave.

Passenger Tyler Bridges of Kentucky says one of the men didn’t want to give up his seat because he was a doctor who needed to see patients in the morning.

United said it called police when the man wouldn’t deplane.

A video taken by Bridges’ wife shows three security officials grabbing the man from his seat and dragging him down the aisle.

Bridges said the flight took off without the man after a three-hour delay.

Bridges said when the flight did depart a United employee apologized to passengers.