Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was detained but not arrested at a Las Vegas music festival over the weekend.
Cell phone video, obtained by TMZ Sports, showed Elliott and a woman described as his girlfriend having a series of conversations when Elliott appeared to shove a security officer to the ground after event security got involved.
After that point, Las Vegas Metro Police handcuffed Elliott, but in the end he was released without arrest and no charges were filed.
Elliott’s lawyer, Frank Salzano, said his client being handcuffed was an overreaction.
“Security misconstrued and overreacted to the situation,” Salzano said, per TMZ Sports. “He was cuffed as a precautionary measure. He was released with no charges. He left Vegas that night and went to his [youth football camp in Dallas] on Sunday.”
Speaking on the incident Monday, Executive Vice President Stephen Jones gave the impression that the Cowboys are not worried about this incident having a negative impact on their star.
Per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Jones said, “It’s so unfair to comment at this point…We have nothing but respect for Zeke & that’s all we can really say at this point.”
The Cowboys are looking into the incident, of course. The NFL most certainly will investigate as well.
This is especially the case in light of updated information obtained by TMZ that indicates the security officer whom Elliott pushed decided not to press charges.
“Two officers approached and placed Elliott into handcuffs while they investigated the incident,” a Las Vegas Police spokesperson told TMZ Sports. “The security guard who was the victim of the misdemeanor battery, refused to press charges and officers escorted Elliott a short distance away and he was released.”
Elliott, of course, has already been suspended by the NFL for six games previously due to allegations that he was abusive toward his ex-girlfriend.