US Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley is facing charges of battery and disorderly conduct after being tasered by police during an arrest in Miami.
Officers were involved in an active investigation when Kerley approached them last night, the force said, concerned about his vehicle which was parked nearby.
Miami Beach police said his demeanour became “increasingly aggressive” and he was asked to leave the area, but refused.
The incident was captured on a police body camera.
Fred Kerley won bronze in the men’s 100m race at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Pic: Europa Press via AP
Fellow US sprinter Noah Lyles took the gold. Pic: The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP
Kerley, 29, won bronze in the men’s 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and silver in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He is also a former world champion.
“Despite officers’ efforts to de-escalate the situation, the defendant assumed a fighting stance and continued to ignore their lawful commands,” a police statement said.
“When the officers attempted to effectuate his arrest, he actively resisted their efforts. Consequently, emergency back-up was requested, a dart-firing stun gun was effectively deployed, and the defendant was arrested without any further incident.”
Kerley, who starred in the Netflix athletics docuseries Sprint last year, was arrested on charges of resisting an officer without violence and disorderly conduct, as well as battery.
He is expected to appear in court this afternoon, according to local reports.
