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A video has surfaced online of Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt that appears to show him shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel last February.
After seeing the video, the Chiefs announced Friday evening that they are releasing him:
“Earlier this year, we were made aware of an incident involving running back Kareem Hunt. At that time, the National Football League and law enforcement initiated investigations into the issue. As part of our internal discussions with Kareem, several members of our management team spoke directly to him. Kareem was not truthful in those discussions. The video released today confirms that fact. We are releasing Kareem immediately.”
Hunt was placed on the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List by the NFL after a video was published by TMZ on Friday.
“I want to apologize for my actions,” Hunt said in a statement. “I deeply regret what I did. I hope to move on from this.”
The surveillance video shows Hunt getting into a confrontation with a woman while being restrained by others. After apparently exchanging words with her, he shoves her, and then she strikes him in the face. Hunt then shoves another man into the woman, pushing her to the floor. Hunt makes his way over to her and kicks her in the leg while she is on the floor.
No charges have been filed against Hunt or Ottinger.
According to a police report, witnesses gave conflicting reports about what led to the altercation. Hunt said he found two women with a man he knew when he returned to his room at The Metropolitan in Cleveland early on the morning of Feb. 10. He said he told the women to leave after learning they were 19 years old. One of the women said she was told to leave after she refused to be with one of the men in the room with Hunt.
Witnesses told police that one of the women involved yelled in the hallway and banged on the door of the room after being escorted out. One of the men with Hunt told police that the woman called Hunt names and used racial slurs before Hunt confronted her.
In a police report, Abigail Ottinger, 19, said Hunt shoved her outside of The Metropolitan at the 9 early in the morning on Feb. 10. In a second police report, Ottinger is accused of shoving a woman who was with Hunt and his friends.
In August, Hunt addressed reports of both the February incident and another in which he was accused of punching a man.
“You know, I’m learning from it, and I’m just focused on football … you know just be in the right place at the right time, I’m just going to keep thinking about football, go out there and do my job,” he said.
In August, according to ESPN, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt also addressed Hunt’s character at that time and said that didn’t expect the running back to be disciplined by the NFL.
“Kareem is a young man, second year in the league, obviously had a very big year on the field last year,” Hunt said. “I’m sure he learned some lessons this offseason and hopefully won’t be in those kind of situations in the future.”
Bodycam footage from the incident shows police tried to take witness’ phone videos. At one point, the hotel management reportedly asked the police to get video off of people’s cell phones.
- Metro Voice News and wire services
