The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Masai Ujiri told the deputy he was Raptors’ president and did present NBA identification.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri did identified himself to a police officer who was blocking the Raptors’ executive from the on-court celebrations after the Raptors’ historic NBA Finals win last Thursday, the Force finally confirmed.
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said Mr. Ujiri had a badge, but it was not the purple one that was required. The executive also did not have one of the gold arm bands that had been given to the Raptors organization, on Wednesday, a spokesman for the force clarified.
He was holding his credentials the whole time. The cop is lying.
pic.twitter.com/kDLXIsZWmV— Gail Osborne🤨🍎 (@gkosborne) June 14, 2019
The deputy’s lawyer, David Mastagni, said his client ”received, unprovoked, a significant hit to his jaw causing a serious concussion, a templar mandibular joint injury, which is a serious joint injury. He is off work and disabled. He wants to go back to work.”
The spokesman for the Force, Sgt. Kelly, stated that it was not the body-cam video from the officer that captured the blow, The officer’s body cam, police said, switched off the instant Mr. Ujiri made contact but footage from the stadium captured the blow.
Masai Ujiri & Raptors
The Raptors and Ujiri are now facing a number of legal issues over the allegations of assault. Those issues are criminal charges, civil liability and commissioner discipline.
Greg Wiener, a warrior fan, season ticket holder who was standing next to the officer, told the Associated Press the police are not telling the truth and are trying to cover up for what the officer did,” the AP’s Rob Gillies reported. “He said Masai Ujiri never struck the officer in the face or asked for a credential.”
Wiener’s account comes after the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday that they would be investigating Ujiri for suspicion of misdemeanor battery on a police officer. Ujiri was allegedly stopped by police when trying to join the Raptors to celebrate on the court. The officer claims to have asked Ujiri to provide identification, and when he refused to do so, an altercation ensued that resulted in the team executive hitting the policeman.
Eye witnesses, Mr. Baller, Mr. Wiener and Mr. Abrenica all said the officer remained at his post for at least 10 minutes after the incident. Two of the men said he seemed angry, but uninjured. But the Force spokesman, Sgt. Kelly, stated that the deputy remained in position for a time, but later that night, he was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a concussion.
Lucas Abrenica, 20, told The Globe he didn’t notice the altercation until it was already under way. “I don’t know who shoved first, but both the sheriff and Ujiri shoved each other very hard. They both stumbled back. … From what I saw it was just shoving. There were no punches thrown or anything like that.”
Greg Wiener, 61, told the Associated Press that while Mr. Ujiri did shove the officer, he did not hit his face. Mr. Wiener told The Globe that when Mr. Ujiri approached the court, the officer blocked his path with his arm, which Mr. Ujiri “brushed” away, “like, ‘I’m still going forward’ … then the deputy got a little bit more aggressive” and pushed the Raptors executive. “That’s when Mr. Ujiri pushed the deputy hard,” Wiener said.
Sgt. Kelly, the force spokesman stated while the officer did forcefully push Mr. Ujiri, it was a “Level 5.” Mr. Ujiri responded with a “Level 10.”
Imagine CARDING the most high profile exec in professional sports, seconds after his team wins a championship. Can’t even make history without the police reminding you where you stand.https://t.co/Tkn64zLjyL
— Matthew Amha 🌺🌺 (@AmhaMatt) June 14, 2019
On account of the witnesses, there were no punches exchange nor hitting on the face just shoving from both sides, Masai ujiri did presented identification when asked but it was apparently not what the officer expected.
Mr. Mastagni, the officer’s lawyer, said any suggestions that race played a role in what transpired at Oracle Arena is unfair and that the officer’s family is African American. Since “he has an African American family” has been commonly used in every racism case we are yet to confirm which of the officer’s family is African American.
Masai Ujiri identified himself as the Raptor’s president and everyone around the officer chorused the same “That’s the general Manager of the Toronto Raptors,” but the officer “shook his head ‘no’” and pushed Mr. Ujiri.
The whole incident could have been avoided if commonsense comes into play. The NBA is also conducting its own separate investigation into the night’s incident.