U.S. Olympic medalist and former world champion runner Fred Kerley was tased and then arrested in Miami Beach after a scuffle Thursday, the police department said.
Kerley, a bronze medalist in the 100m at the Paris Olympics last year and a silver medalist in Tokyo, was involved in a scuffle with police and was tased by police after trying to force their way into an active investigation site.
The 29-year-old man arrived at the scene in South Beach to be asked about his car, which was parked near the scene, and police said he showed an “aggressive attitude” and ignored orders to retreat before engaging in a scuffle with several officers. of.
This is a completely excessive use of force by Miami-Dade Police against Fred Kerley.
The same Fred Kerley, who recently won a bronze medal in the 100 meters representing the United States at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. How do you represent your country and come home and take an unnecessary beating… pic.twitter.com/BMnf5tys8d
– Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) 4 January 2025
A police arrest affidavit said four officers tried to restrain Kerley and said they hit him in the head, rib cage and back before using the Taser.
He “continued to resist officers” even after being incapacitated by the Taser, the statement said.
Kerley, the 2022 100m world champion, was charged with resisting arrest without violence, assault against an officer and disorderly conduct.
Kerley was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center for evaluation and booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, police said.
South Florida television station Local 10 WPLG reported that Kerley appeared in court Friday afternoon.
His attorney, who declined to be named, criticized police behavior, saying there was a “complete misunderstanding” and that Kerley “is a model citizen in our community. This is nothing more than a police overreaction.”
Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer said the incident “could have been handled differently,” the station said.
He said, “I have a gentleman who has never been arrested, no arrests before, according to his lawyer he has competed in the Olympics, who is obviously a professional athlete and it is unfortunate that he Reached this position.”
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