Dez Bryant says Southlake police aimed gun at him; he got an assault citation

Right · 2Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant says a police officer aimed a gun at him in front of his daughters on Sunday 25 October in Southlake, Texas, after a confrontation with two men. 1 2 Right · 1Footage Bryant gave to OutKick, Fox News's sports site, shows an officer aiming a gun in his direction and Bryant lying in handcuffs next to the two other men. 1 Right · 2Bryant's account is that the dispute began over driving: he says two vehicles cut him off and drove recklessly as they arrived at a restaurant where he was also headed, and that he told the occupants to stop, using profanity. 1 2

Right · 2He says one of the men, whom he described as a young adult, threatened to shoot him, though Bryant said the man did not pull a gun; Bryant says he replied, "You pull that gun, I’m telling you right now, you better use it." 1 2 Right · 2Bryant acknowledges knocking the phone out of the man's hand when the man began filming him, and says he told the man to call police because he expected officers to investigate the alleged threat. 1 2 Right · 2Bryant says that when police arrived an officer drew a gun and ordered everyone to the ground, and his girlfriend then pulled up with his two daughters, who saw what happened; Breitbart says officers brought out rifles and handcuffed all parties. 1 2

Right · 1Bryant says officers questioned the men separately, put him in a police vehicle and released him with a citation while the other men were allowed to leave. 1 Right · 1The citation, which OutKick reviewed, lists "Assault by Contact" at 2251 E. Southlake Blvd., the address listed for Chiloso Mexican Bistro, marks "Arrest: No" and tells Bryant to appear at Southlake Municipal Court on or before Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. 1 Right · 1OutKick notes that offensive-contact assault is generally a Class C misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by a fine of up to $500, and that whether self-defence applies depends on the circumstances; Bryant repeatedly described his actions as self-defence. 1

Right · 2Bryant says police relied on the other man's recording without examining what came before it, that he asked officers to review surveillance video, and that the handling was "very one-sided"; he also says an officer told him to be "the bigger person." 1 2 Right · 1Bryant says he has good relationships with individual Southlake officers, called the situation "extremely unfortunate," and asked for fair treatment and a thorough investigation. OutKick said it had asked the City of Southlake for comment on behalf of the police department, and no police account was included in the coverage. 1