Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant received an assault-by-contact citation after a confrontation at a Southlake, Texas restaurant, and he was not arrested. Bryant says the dispute began on the road, followed him into a restaurant parking lot, and ended with a police officer pointing a gun at him while his young daughters were nearby.
What Bryant Says Triggered the Confrontation
According to Bryant, the trouble started when two drivers cut him off and drove recklessly, a claim detailed by nj.com. Bryant and the two drivers then ended up at the same restaurant in Southlake, where an argument broke out, per his account. The citation reviewed by OutKick identifies the location as 2251 E. Southlake Blvd., the address of Chiloso Mexican Bistro, according to a report from Fox News.
Bryant said one of the men suggested he might shoot him, though Bryant acknowledged the man never actually pulled out a gun, the outlet's report notes. Bryant also said the man began recording him with a phone, and Bryant admitted knocking the phone from the man's hand after telling him to stop recording. Police were then called, the same account states.
Officer Drew a Gun, Bryant Says
Once officers arrived, Bryant said a responding officer drew a gun and ordered the men to the ground. He said a police officer pointed a gun toward him during the confrontation, and video Bryant provided reportedly shows him handcuffed on the ground alongside two other men. The same reporting states officers handcuffed the men, questioned them separately, placed Bryant in a police vehicle, and then released him with the citation.
Bryant said his girlfriend arrived at the scene with his two daughters, and he was concerned that his children saw the incident unfold. The citation marks that Bryant was not arrested and instructs him to appear at Southlake Municipal Court on or before Nov. 20 at 5 p.m., per the same account. It lists the allegation as assault by contact.
Bryant Pushes Back, Calls for Fuller Investigation
Bryant has criticized how police handled the incident and called for a fuller investigation, according to the earlier-cited report. OutKick said it contacted the city of Southlake for comment on the matter. Southlake police have not issued a public statement or incident report addressing Bryant's account of the traffic dispute, the alleged threat, or the officer's handling of the encounter, and it remains unclear whether the citation has led to a court hearing, dismissal, plea, or other resolution.
