Seattle Seahawks’ Michael Bennett Accuses Vegas Police of Threatening to ‘Blow My F—ing Head Off’
Seattle Seahawks star defensive end Michael Bennett said that he was harassed and his life was threatened by Las Vegas police following the Floyd Mayweather- Connor McGregor fight in late August.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Bennett details his experience with Las Vegas police, in the early hours of Aug. 27, saying he was saying that he felt "terrified" and "helpless." Bennett is considering a civil lawsuit. Bennett says police apprehended him while he was heading back to his hotel after gun shots erupted. He says Las Vegas police singled him out and "pointed their guns at me for doing nothing more than simply being a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Bennett goes on to say that a police officer ordered him to get on the ground, and though he didn't move, the officer proceeded to to place a gun near his head, warning that if he moved, he'd 'blow my f---ing head off." Bennett says that he was "terrified and confused" by what was taking place, and then a second cop came over and "forcefully jammed his knee into my back making it difficult for me to breathe." Bennett says he was then handcuffed so tightly his fingers went numb.
Bennett was placed in the back of a police car while officers identified who he was.
"They apparently realized I was not a thug, common criminal or ordinary black man but Michael Bennett a famous professional football player," he wrote.
Bennett has retained John Burris, an Oakland-based civil rights attorney, to investigate the incident and determine his legal options, and said that incidents like this are the reason why he will continue to sit through the national anthem.
"I have always held a strong conviction that protesting or standing up for justice is just simply, the right thing to do," Bennett wrote. "This fact is unequivocally, without question why before every game, I sit during the national anthem--because equality doesn't live in this country and no matter how much money you make, what job title you have, or how much you give, when you are seen as a 'N-----,' you will be treated that way."
Bennett remains in support of Colin Kaepernick, who has yet to be signed to an NFL team following his decision to kneel during the anthem to protest state sanctioned police violence against black people. Kaepernick was quick to support Bennett's statement.
"This violation that happened against my Brother Michael Bennett is disgusting and unjust," Kaepernick tweeted. "I stand with Michael and I stand with the people."
You can read Bennett's full statement below. Watch a portion of the incident via video obtained by TMZ above.