MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — U.S. Olympic runner Fred Kerley was arrested Thursday in South Florida after a confrontation with police, authorities said.
Body camera footage released by Miami Beach police shows Kerley arguing with a group of officers late Thursday before a physical altercation broke out. Kerley, 29, was knocked to the ground, where an officer punched him several times and then used a Taser on the sprinter, police said.
According to an arrest report, officers were investigating an unrelated crime scene when Kerley approached the area and attempted to gain access to his vehicle parked nearby. Officers had directed Kerley to circle the area, but Kerley began arguing with them, leading to a scuffle with police.
Four officers attempted to take Kerley into custody while he attempted to evade arrest, officials said. After being stunned with the Taser, Kerley was taken to a local hospital and then to the Miami-Dade County Jail.
Kerley was charged with assault, resisting an officer and disorderly conduct.
He appeared at a bond hearing on Friday, where defense attorney Yale Sanford was critical of the police officers at the scene.
“This appears to be a complete misunderstanding,” Sanford said, according to WPLG TV, the ABC affiliate in Miami. “Mr Kerley is a record athlete. He competed in the Olympics for United States Track and Field [team]. He is a model citizen of our community. This is nothing more than an overreaction by the police.”
Sanford further claimed the incident was “a complete excessive use of any reasonable force by officers.”
USA Track & Field, the national track and field association in the United States, declined to comment.
Kerley won the silver medal in the 100 meters at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the bronze medal for the same event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He has also won six medals at world championships.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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