Masai Ujiri incident with deputy under investigation

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is investigating Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri for suspicion of misdemeanor battery on a police officer, it confirmed Friday morning.


The alleged incident occurred Thursday night on the floor at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, after the Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA title and Ujiri tried to join the team on the floor. He was stopped by a deputy.


"Mr. Ujiri was unknown to the deputy at that time. He [the deputy] asked him for a credential," said Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. "He shoved the deputy out of the way and walked toward the court. The deputy pushed back. The president came forward more with a more significant push and ended up striking the deputy in the face."


NBC Bay Area posted video of the aftermath of the incident late Thursday night, but it does not show what happened first.


The sheriff's office is gathering information on what occurred, talking to witnesses and members of the security teams as well as gathering available video, Kelly said Friday.


Ujiri watched the end of the game on television outside the Raptors' locker room with other team officials. He then came down the tunnel to the floor to join the on-court celebration.


The NBA requires extra credentials to gain access to the floor when the series is clinched, including a gold armband. Kelly said the NBA had asked law enforcement officials to be extra vigilant on requiring the credentials. Kelly said Masai either didn't have the credentials or didn't show them.


"The incident is being looked at, and we are cooperating with authorities," the Raptors said in statement Friday afternoon. "We look forward to resolving the situation."


Kelly said the sheriff's office has spoken with the NBA and that the league is aware of the investigation. As of Friday morning, the sheriff's office had not yet spoken to the Raptors or Ujiri.


NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the league was in contact with the Raptors and local authorities and is "in the process of gathering more information."


The investigation should be wrapped up by next week, Kelly said.


ESPN's Brian Windhorst contributed to this report.

[FONT=&quot]OAKLAND, Calif. - New video released on Tuesday shows for the first time an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy clearly shoving the Toronto Raptors president twice in the chest in an encounter that grabbed international attention.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Deputy Alan Strickland was "undeniably the initial aggressor," according to attorneys representing Raptors president Masai Ujiri.

The video, 6 minutes and 20 seconds of three edited clips, shows Ujiri walking onto the court on June 13, 2019 after the Raptors beat the Warriors 114-100 and Strickland putting his arm out to stop him, checking to make sure he had his security credentials. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri reacts after being shoved by Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy Alan Strickland. June 13, 2019

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WATCH: Video shows shoving match between deputy and Raptors president[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ujiri did have credentials out; he was seen on the video tucking his badge into his suit pocket. He was thrilled and he was trying to rush down to congratulate his victorious team. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But Strickland tried to stop him, putting out his arm to block his path. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Strickland is seen in the high-definition security video pushing Ujiri in the chest, as an onlooker grabs at the deputy's shoulder to calm him down. Strickland pushes him a second time. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]At that point, Ujiri shoves the deputy back. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Strickland tells him to "back the f--- up," according to lawyers representing Ujiri. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Why did you push me?” Ujiri asks. “I’m the president of the Raptors.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The video clips of this 11-second encounter -- released at the start of the NBA playoffs - is the first time the public has been able to view the video. The footage comes from Strickland’s body camera as well as two short clips from security cameras inside Oracle Arena. The footage was released through a federal lawsuit. Ujiri is being represented by the law firm of Cotchett Pitre & Mccarthy in Burlingame, Calif. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Up until now, the public had to rely on witness accounts of the encounter, and a shaky cell phone video taken from several feet away, which circulated on social media. Witness accounts mostly corroborate what the video shows: A brief, heated altercation between the two men. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The matter might have ended there.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But in February, Strickland filed a federal lawsuit against Ujiri, the Raptors, Maple Leaf Entertainment at the NBA alleging Ujiri shoved him so hard on the court that he suffered physical injuries to his head, jaw, chin and teeth.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Strickland also filed a workers' compensation claim alleging Ujiri “circumvented” the security checkpoint and then tried to “storm” the court and “hit him in the face and chest with both fists.” [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Strickland also claimed Ujiri had a “violent predisposition” and acted with an “evil motive amounting to malice,” according to his suit and workers' compensation claims. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But the release of this video as well as the testimony of several witnesses actually vindicates Ujiri, the defendant’s lawyers claim in a 108-page response. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Alan Strickland says he had facial swelling after he was shoved by Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri. This is his photo from the hospital.

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"Mr. Strickland used unnecessary and excessive force," the counterclaim states. "There was no reason to view Mr. Ujiri as a threat to anyone and no reason for Mr. Strickland to curse at Mr. Ujiri and forcefully shove him as numerous witnesses observed."[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Neither Strickland, who has not been back to work in more than a year, nor his attorney, David Mastagni, were available for immediate comment. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly had no comment. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]As for whether Strickland will ever return to work is unclear. According to Transparent California, Strickland earned $224,000 a year, not including benefits, in 2018.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]According to his suit, Strickland has been “prevented from attending to his usual occupation” and believes that will be the case “for a period of time in the future.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Strickland alleged he suffered such a “shock of injury to his nervous system” that he believes “will result in some permanent disability.” [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In addition to the physical suffering, Strickland also said his “emotional well-being” also took a blow.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But his physical injuries are in serious question. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ujiri's lawyers pointed out that on the night he went to the hospital, Strickland had no visible facial swelling as he had claimed in his reports to police, and they provided a picture of him showing no bruises. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The lawyers also highlighted exclusive video KTVU took in February, which showed him going out for lunch with his wife, carrying boxes and using a power saw in the spring outside his home.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Strickland's past criminal history is also troubling, legal analysts have said. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In March, KTVU broke an exclusive story revealing that in 1994, Strickland was arrested and later convicted of insurance fraud, raising questions about his integrity. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The fraud charge was discovered when Strickland was applying to be a San Mateo police officer in 2005 - a job he did not get.[/FONT]

But in February, Strickland filed a federal lawsuit against Ujiri, the Raptors, Maple Leaf Entertainment at the NBA alleging Ujiri shoved him so hard on the court that he suffered physical injuries to his head, jaw, chin and teeth.


:missingte


In March, KTVU broke an exclusive story revealing that in 1994, Strickland was arrested and later convicted of insurance fraud, raising questions about his integrity.
The fraud charge was discovered when Strickland was applying to be a San Mateo police officer in 2005 - a job he did not get.

no, really?

1:18

cop had cash on the warriors

Convicted of insurance fraud, the becomes a cop. Priceless lol.

Can’t say I’m surprised though.



Need to hold this POS security officer accountable. Mother fucker wants to sue?????? Bahahhahahahhahahahahah.




Absolutely racially motivated. Don’t be ignorant and ignore the truth.

Know somebody who works for the Comcast of Toronto sports and he travels with the team and such. But tells me Ujiri is literally the nicest person. Executive who is nice to everyone in the company.


Just ran into another racist cop who thought he could get away with his actions.

The statements that this cock sucking police commissioner put out is just pathetic. I will post it

Oh man can't find it right now. They claimed he pushed the cop twice LOL. Said he didn't have credentials. Their statement after the fact was fucking embarrassing. AND on top of it the racist moron sues.

Fucking idiots. No excuse for this.

should have had placard visible, real simple

Looks like the officer is going to be forking over a check to cover the Raptors guy legal fees.

Blacks think they own the place

Ujiri is very well liked in Toronto and the basketball circles for his personality, good humour from humble upbringings. Hope the cop gets penalized for his shady ways.

tatehill2000 said:

Blacks think they own the place

Click to expand...

If you are talking about the USA, it is owned by China and Saudi Arabia. Your President is owned by Putin.