Bronze medalist in the 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, American sprinter Fred Kerley found himself at the heart of a violent altercation with Miami police officers.
American sprinter Fred Kerley, Olympic medalist and former world champion, was arrested after an altercation with police officers Thursday in Miami, police said.
Kerley, a 100m bronze medalist at this summer's Paris Olympics and a silver medalist in Tokyo, was shot with an electric taser after attempting to force his way into the scene of an ongoing investigation.
Use of force deemed excessive by his lawyer and observers
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 100m world champion in 2022, was indicted for rebellion, assault and battery against an agent and disturbing public order 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.” Just like several American public figures, like NFL player Robert Griffin III.
