Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is asking the Southlake, Texas, Police Department to conduct a thorough investigation into a Sunday incident that ended with him being cited for assault.
Bryant, 37, described the events to Outkick. He said he confronted two drivers in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant after they allegedly cut him off in traffic. His intention, he said, was to tell them to drive more safely. An argument followed with one of the men, whom Bryant described as a young adult, and Bryant said the driver suggested that "he'll shoot me or whatever."
Bryant told the outlet that he responded by telling the man that if he pulled out a gun, "You better use it, because if you don't, I'm going to do something to you." According to Bryant, the man never produced a weapon. Instead, the man took out his cellphone to record, and Bryant knocked the phone out of his hand.
The man then called police. Bryant said he welcomed that, because he expected officers to look into the alleged threat against him. When officers arrived, one ordered all three men to the ground at gunpoint and handcuffed them. Bryant's girlfriend later came to the scene with his two daughters and filmed the encounter, and Bryant gave the video to Outkick.
"I was really more so concerned about my children, you know, looking at their dad, you know, being on the ground with a gun pointed at me," Bryant said.
Southlake Police spokesperson Capt. Blas Hernandez said in a news release that officers came with weapons drawn because 911 calls indicated "a possible weapon" at the scene. He described the approach as a "precaution to address any potential threats and ensure the safety of everyone at the scene." Hernandez added that no firearms were recovered.
Bryant told Outkick that officers viewed only the man's recording and did not review surveillance footage, including footage of the traffic incident, and that he alone received a citation. An online record shows he was cited for assault by contact, a Class C misdemeanor that carries a $367 fine. His initial hearing is set for Nov. 20.
Bryant called the on-scene investigation "very one-sided" and said one officer told him he should be "the bigger person." He said he went to Outkick because "My reputation mean everything to me." Asked what he wants from police, he answered: "Treat everybody fair. Treat everybody fair. Treat everybody with respect. Do your due diligence on what's actually going on."
Bryant last played in the NFL in 2020 and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection over a nine-year career. He remains the Cowboys' all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 73, and ranks fourth in franchise history in receptions with 531 and sixth in receiving yards with 7,459.
