Cleveland Browns player Malik McDowell arrested on charges of attacking an officer, public exposure
By Amy Simonson, Tina Burnside and Kevin Dotson, CNN
Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Malik McDowell was arrested Monday in Florida on charges of public exposure, battery on a law enforcement officer and obstruction of justice with violence for resisting arrest, according to an incident report.
A Broward County sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of a naked man walking near a school in Deerfield Beach, according to the report. After McDowell looked up at the deputy and yelled an expletive, “the defendant then charged at me with at full speed (sic) with closed fist,” the report said.
The officer said that due to proximity he was unable to avoid the attack or to use de-escalation tactics or a nonlethal weapon.
“The defendant intentionally rammed his body into me and began swinging closed fist punches at me,” the officer said, according to the report. “The punches were swung with extreme aggression with at least one strike hitting me on my right eye/temple area of my eye.”
The officer said he was dazed and felt extreme pain where he was struck, and that the NFL player continued the “violent attack” by landing strikes to the top of his head.
McDowell then fled and after a foot pursuit, a Taser was deployed. McDowell was handcuffed and taken into custody, according to the report.
In addition to the aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and obstruction of justice with violence charges, McDowell is also charged with exposure “due to the defendant walking around the street naked exposing his sexual organs in view of the public — to include a school that contained children.”
Adam Swickle, a Fort Lauderdale attorney for McDowell, told CNN by phone: “We are investigating to see what happened. That’s the only comment I have at this time.”
According to court documents, bond was set at $31,000 for all three charges.
McDowell, 25, played in 15 games for the Browns this past season, recording three sacks and 16 solo tackles.
A spokesperson for the Browns said the team is aware of “the very concerning incident,” and is gathering more information.
“We understand the severity of this matter and our thoughts are for the well-being of all involved,” the spokesperson said in a statement emailed to CNN. “We will have no further comment at this time.”
The-CNN-Wire
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