LOS ANGELES – Former NFL star and three time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest was taken into custody Monday in West Hollywood, California, on a potential charge of assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Witnesses identified McGinest, 51, the former New England Patriots linebacker and current NFL Network analyst, as being involved in an attack at a nightclub that occurred Dec. 9 in the 7900 block of Santa Monica Blvd. McGinest was booked at the Los Angeles County Jail Monday morning, ESPN reported.
Video of the beat down, obtained by TMZ, shows McGinest and several other men walk into a West Hollywood establishment, approach a man sitting in a booth and gang up on him, violently punching the man.
McGinest, a California native, visited the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station Monday morning to provide a statement about the encounter, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
At the conclusion of the interview, LASD arrested McGinest for felony assault. After booking he posted a $30,000 bond and was released from custody, KTLA reported.
The identity of the victim has not been released and the motivation for the battery remains unclear.
McGinest attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School and played football at USC before he was drafted by New England in 1994.
Over 15 seasons in the NFL, McGinest won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and played in two Pro Bowls. He ranks third in team history with 78 sacks and owns the NFL record with 16 career postseason sacks. He spent his final three NFL seasons (2006-08) playing for the Cleveland Browns, according to ESPN.
McGinest is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning. The NFL Network said in a statement sent to multiple media outlets that he will not appear on air while the incident is under review.
Meanwhile, former NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire was arrested Saturday at his Miami residence on a domestic violence charge after he was accused of punching one of his daughters in the jaw and drawing blood, Law Officer reported. He was booked on a misdemeanor charge of battery.
