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St. Louis man arrested for shoe bomb comment

10:14 PM CST on Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Listen to some of News 4’s interview with Michael Shafermeyer

(KMOV)- A St. Louis man who was jailed and charged with making a threat about a shoe bomb was released Tuesday.

 

Michael Shafermeyer, 30, was arrested Saturday boarding a flight at Lambert Airport Saturday.

 

After spending 3 ½ days in jail, he spoke with News 4 to give his side of the story.

 

Shafermeyer said he was flying to Maryland to get married and because he was anxious about the wedding and nervous about flying, he had a few drinks before getting to the airport.

 

His friends describe him as a guy with a non-stop, quirky sense of humor.

 

When a flight attendant asked him to close his laptop after boarding, Shafermeyer says he was just trying to make a joke when he asked her, “Are you the one who checks for shoe bombs?”

 

He said within minutes federal agents whisked him off the plane and he spent the next 2 ½ days in solitary confinement at the St. Louis County Jail.

 

The final day in jail, he was put in general holding with 20-30 other people, who he said stood and gave him a standing ovation when he first walked into the room.

 

Shafermeyer said he’s charged with making a false bomb report.

 

He still plans to go to Maryland to get married, but will take the train to get there.

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