Video Of TSA Agents Patting Down 96-Year-Old Woman Sparks Outrage

The family of a 96-year-old woman is outraged after she was called aside for an enhanced screening while sitting in her wheelchair by TSA agents at Washington Dulles International Airport. Jeanne LaBrier Clarkson recorded the six-minute encounter and shared it on Facebook with the following caption: "The 3 of us were all in wheelchairs. Only my 96 year old mother was subjected to this prolonged, repetitive search." The video has racked up nearly nine million views and many people shared her anger over the invasive search. 

In the video, two female TSA agents ask Evelyn LaBrier to remove her windbreaker and start to pat her down from the top of her head all the way down to her shoes. One of the agents asks her to adjust her weight so she can check underneath her. They asked her to lift her legs, which was difficult for the nonagenarian. 

At one point during the six-minute search, Jeanne can be heard in the background of the video screaming at the agents.

"What the hell do you think she's going to do? Set off a shoe bomb?"

According to the Washington Post, Clarkson said that she was ignored when she asked agents why her mother was called aside for the enhanced search. 

“I am my mother’s legal guardian and responsible for her well-being. I went through security. When I saw that they had pulled Mother aside to search her. I tried asking why. They ignored me. That upset me so I began videoing what they were doing to document my complaint that I intended to file.”

A TSA spokeswoman said the officers were doing what they have been trained to do.

“TSA is committed to ensuring the security of travelers, while treating all passengers with dignity and respect,” TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. “In this instance, the TSA officer provided advisements during the pat-down and was extremely polite. The passenger was very cooperative and gave no indication that she was agitated or in discomfort. She received a pat-down and was cleared for her flight.”

After their ordeal going through security, the day got even worse for the Clarkson's. When they finally arrived at their gate they found out that their flight was canceled due to bad weather and they had to sleep at the airport.