EXCLUSIVE: Former Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant says a police officer pulled a gun on him in front of his daughters on Sunday after a confrontation with a man he claims threatened to shoot him following an encounter with two men he accused of reckless driving. The incident resulted in Bryant receiving a citation for assault. Footage provided to OutKick by Bryant showed an officer pointing a gun in Bryant’s direction. Bryant is also seen lying on the ground handcuffed alongside the other two men in Southlake, Texas. Bryant acknowledged knocking a phone out of a man’s hand during their argument, but questioned how police handled the encounter and questioned why he received a citation after reporting he had been threatened. ARIZONA STATE CHEELER CHARGED AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH POLICE CAUGHT ON VIRAL VIDEO Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2017. (Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports) “I was really more worried about my kids, you know, watching their dad, you know, being on the ground with a gun pointed at me,” Bryant said. The citation reviewed by OutKick lists “Contact Assault” and identifies the location of the incident as 2251 E. Southlake Blvd., the same address listed for Chiloso Mexican Bistro. Mark “Arrest: No” and direct Bryant to appear at Southlake Municipal Court on November 20 at 5 pm or earlier. Bryant said the confrontation began after he encountered two vehicles whose occupants appeared to be interacting with each other at a traffic light. He accused the drivers of cutting him off and continuing to drive recklessly when they reached the restaurant, where he was also headed. Bryant said he told them to stop, acknowledging that he had used profanity. He said an argument ensued with one of the men, whom the former receiver described as a young adult. TITANS COACH PASSIONATELY DEFENDS JORDAN ELLIOTT AFTER GUN-RELATED INCIDENT WHICH RELEASED HIM “He started threatening me and basically told me, um, he’s going to imply that, you know, he’s going to shoot me or whatever,” Bryant said. Bryant said he responded with his own warning: “Take out that gun, I’m telling you right now, you better use it because if you don’t, I’m going to do something to you,” he recalled telling the man. When asked if the man actually pulled out a gun, Bryant said, “No, he didn’t point a gun at me.” Bryant said the man instead pulled out his phone and started recording it. “I told him, you know, take my phone away from me,” Bryant said. “So what I ended up doing was taking his phone away from him. phone out of his hand.” The man then said he would call the police, according to Bryant, who said he encouraged him to do so because he believed officers would investigate the alleged threat. Bryant said a responding officer pulled out a gun and ordered them to the ground. He said his girlfriend arrived with her two daughters and began recording the encounter. ICE ROCK SHOOTING AT AUSTIN AS DEMOCRAT DEMANDS BODYCAM VIDEO, INDEPENDENT PROBE The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) before the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. (Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports) “I got down on the ground,” Bryant said. “My lady stopped, brought my kids in, and they watched everything that was going on.” Bryant said the other men were allowed to leave. alleged that police relied on the other man’s phone recording without properly investigating what preceded it. He said he asked officers to review surrounding surveillance footage, including any available video of the driving leading up to the confrontation. “I would rather they take us all to the police station and do the proper investigation rather than just take someone else’s side,” Bryant said. “I felt it was very one-sided.” Under Texas law, assault involving offensive or provocative physical contact is generally a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500. The citation does not identify a specific legal subsection. Bryant repeatedly described his actions as self-defense. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE. OUTKICK Bryant emphasized that he has long-standing positive relationships with individual Southlake officials, including one associated with his son’s Southlake Carroll football team “Every time I see him, we talk about ball. We just talk about normal things,” Bryant said of that officer. “He’s always been good. This situation was extremely unfortunate.” Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) during an NFL game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Albert Pena/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Bryant played eight seasons with Dallas, earning three Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors in 2014. He finished his tenure with the Cowboys with 531 receptions, 7,459 receiving yards and 73 receiving touchdowns. DOWNLOAD YOUR DAILY PODCAST NOW! He said his standing in the Southlake community, particularly among kids who look up to him, motivated him to speak publicly about the encounter. “My reputation is everything to me,” Bryant said when asked what he wanted from law enforcement in the future. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX APP. NEWS “Treat everyone fairly. Treat everyone fairly. Treat everyone with respect,” he said. “Do your due diligence on what’s really going on.” OutKick reached out to the city of Southlake for comment on behalf of the police department. Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to Title IX enforcement and in mainstream media outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
