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American sprinter Fred Kerley, Olympic medalist and former world champion, was arrested after an altercation with police officers Thursday in Miami. Police confirmed this on Friday.
Kerley, a 100m bronze medalist at this summer’s Paris Olympics and a silver medalist in Tokyo, was shot with an electric taser after trying to force his way into the scene of an ongoing investigation.
The 29-year-old athlete approached the location of the investigation in South Beach, claiming that his car was parked nearby. Police accuse him of exhibiting “aggressive behavior” and refusing to back down before a fight broke out with several officers.
According to a police statement, four officers attempted to subdue Kerley and said they punched him in the head, ribcage and back before using the gun. The statement said that after being neutralized, he “continued to resist the officers.”
Kerley, crowned world champion in the 100m in 2022, was charged with rebellion, assault and battery against an agent and disturbing the peace and then imprisoned. During an appearance in a Florida court on Friday, reported by a local television station, Kerley’s lawyer deplored “an overreaction by the police.”
News-Swiss
