MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — U.S. Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested Thursday night after a confrontation with police in South Florida, authorities reported.
According to the Associated Press, body camera footage from Miami Beach police shows Kerley, 29, arguing with officers before a physical altercation occurred. During the incident, officers wrestled Kerley to the ground, where he was struck multiple times before an officer used a Taser on him, according to police statements.
The arrest report indicates that officers were responding to an unrelated police situation when Kerley approached the scene, attempting to reach his vehicle parked nearby. Officers instructed him to move around the area, but Kerley began to argue, leading to a shoving match with the police.
Local 10 News – WPLG TV in Miami, reported that four officers attempted to take Kerley into custody as he tried to evade arrest. After being subdued with the Taser, the 29-year-old sprinter star was transported to a local hospital and then booked into the Miami-Dade County jail.
“Our officers attempted to de-escalate the situation multiple times, however, the defendant escalated it by using physical force on an officer and was subsequently dealt with accordingly,” Chris Bess from the Miami Beach Police Department told Local 10 News.
Kerley faces charges of battery, resisting an officer, and disorderly conduct.
At a bond hearing on Friday, Kerley’s defense attorney, Yale Sanford, criticized the police response.
“This seems like a total misunderstanding,” Sanford said, as reported by Local 10 News. “Mr. Kerley is a record-breaking athlete. He has served in the Olympics for the United States track and field team. He is a model citizen in our community. This is nothing more than an overreaction by the police.”
Sanford further claimed that the officers used excessive force during the incident.
Kerley, a former Texas A&M and NCAA champion won a silver medal in the 100 meters at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics (in 2021) before claiming gold over the same distance at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in 2022.
He also won bronze in the 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics and has also achieved six medals at various world championships.
Kerley owns personal bests with 9.76 seconds for the 100m, 19.76 secs for the 200m, and 43.64 secs for the 400m sprints.
