January 5th 2025.
According to authorities, US Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley found himself in a heated confrontation with police officers in Miami, Florida. He was eventually arrested and is now facing charges of battery, resisting officers, and disorderly conduct. The incident, which took place on Thursday night, was captured on body camera footage and later released by the police.
The video shows Kerley, who recently won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the men's 100m, being approached by the officers. One of the officers is seen raising their hand and pushing it against Kerley's chest, to which Kerley responds by batting the hand away. This seemingly innocent gesture quickly escalates into an altercation as an officer shoves Kerley and a struggle ensues.
The footage does not have any sound until the physical confrontation begins, making it difficult to understand the context of the situation. We see several officers pushing Kerley to the ground and one of them appears to hit him multiple times. In the police report, it is stated that two officers fell on their backs during the scuffle and Kerley fell on top of one of them. This is when an officer deploys a stun gun, causing Kerley to fall to the ground and be taken into custody.
Kerley's defense attorney, Yale Sanford, described the body camera footage as "obscene" and expressed his disappointment in the officers' actions. He stated, "No matter how hard you work or how many medals you earn for your country, in Miami Beach, Mr. Kerley was treated with a lack of humanity, compassion, or respect, just like millions of African-Americans across the country." Sanford believes it is important for the community and the country to be aware of such incidents so that they can be prevented in the future.
The police officers involved were reportedly conducting an unrelated investigation when Kerley approached them. He was concerned about his parked vehicle in the area. According to Christopher Bess, a spokesperson for the Miami Beach Police Department, Kerley disregarded their commands and physically pushed one of the officers before resisting arrest. He was eventually taken to a local hospital before being transferred to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Kerley made an appearance at the Miami-Dade County Court on Friday afternoon, where his attorney Sanford criticized the officers' conduct. In an unrelated case, Kerley is facing charges of robbery and domestic battery after his wife accused him of choking her during an argument in May 2024. The arrest record also states that he took away her phone and drove off. USA Track and Field declined to comment on the incident when contacted by CNN.
For more breaking news, sports updates, political news, and weather forecasts, download the 9NEWS app on your smartphone. Stay informed and get notifications sent straight to your device. The app is available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
