New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes was arrested in Los Angeles after a struggle with officers who responded to a report of a domestic dispute and used a Taser before handcuffing him, authorities said Thursday.
And TMZ video of the wild altercation has gone viral.
The snippet shows three officers rolling on the ground restraining Hayes, before one appears to tase the rising NBA star.
The officers then appear to successfully handcuff Hayes as the video rolls.
Additional cops then rush the scene and subdue a friend of Hayes, who had been recording the altercation.
According to multiple media sources, the friend involved in the recording was also jailed for filming the officers.
The 21-year-old player was booked into jail on suspicion of resisting arrest, and a woman declined to cooperate with the investigation into the domestic dispute call early Wednesday, a Los Angeles Police Department statement said.
Hayes, 6-foot-11 and 220 pounds, was treated for unspecified injuries from the struggle before going to jail, police said. He was released on bond that day, online jail records show. An officer also was treated for an unspecified injury and then released from a hospital.
It was not immediately known if Hayes has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf.
Police said officers found Hayes in the front yard of a home at about 2:50 a.m. The officers said they needed to speak with the victim and asked Hayes to remain outside while they did.
LAPD says Hayes was the initial aggressor.
The police department’s official statement read:
Body worn video captured Hayes repeatedly attempting to enter the residence despite officers blocking his path and verbal commands for him to remain outside. Officers requested a backup and they attempted to place Hayes’ hands behind his back; however, Hayes broke free of the officers’ grasp and pushed one of the officers into a wall.
The LAPD’s Force Investigation Division took over the investigation after being asked to “assess the incident due to the possibility of force being applied to Hayes’ neck during the use of force,” the statement said.
The Pelicans said they are aware of the arrest.
“We are working in conjunction with the NBA and Jaxson’s representatives to gather more information and will have no further comment at this time,” the team said in a statement.
Hayes was drafted eighth overall out of Texas in 2019. He is the son of former NFL tight end Jonathan Hayes, who played for Kansas City and Pittsburgh. The younger Hayes played one college season for the Longhorns before turning pro. In his first two NBA seasons, he has played in 124 games with 17 starts, averaging 7.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 16.5 minutes.
Idk if it’s my IPad but here’s the video with audio pic.twitter.com/83RGOXUsBm
— ً’ (@bekfestv) August 4, 2021
The Associated Press contributed to this article