Social Media Users Overwhelmingly Back Scottie Scheffler After Video Released Of Arrest Incident

 Social media users overwhelmingly sided with the world’s No. 1 ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler after footage was released of his arrest last week that raises serious questions about the account that the arresting police officer gave about what transpired.

“Detective [Bryan] Gillis should have turned on his body-worn camera but did not,” said Louisville Police Department Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel. “His failure to do so is a violation of LMPD police on uniforms and equipment.”

Dashcam footage from one of the police cars shows Scheffler’s vehicle slowly turning into the Valhalla Golf Club ahead of second round of the PGA Championship last Friday morning.

Video footage that was taken from across the street showed that the police officer ran after the vehicle and appeared to throw himself onto it, at which point Scheffler, who was already driving slowly, brought the vehicle to an immediate stop.

The arresting officer claimed that Scheffler “refused to comply and accelerated forward,” dragging him to the ground — which is not seen anywhere in the video.

Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic, according to a court document. The second-degree assault charge is a felony, while the others are misdemeanors.

 

The reaction to the arrest was overwhelmingly in favor of Scheffler and included mockery of Gillis.

“Scottie Scheffler was charged with felonious assault for THIS?!?!” wrote Town Hall writer John Hasson. “That cop should lose his badge. Unreal”

Sports commentator Dave Portnoy posted: “This story just gets weirder. Gonna need to see where the cop got dragged to the ground.”

Other reactions included:

https://x.com/CPowers14/status/1793680233134170609

“Our position remains the same as it was last Friday,” the golfer’s attorney Steve Romines said in a statement. “I am not negotiating as we have no interest in settling. I am preparing to litigate as needed and the case will be dismissed or we will go to trial because Scottie did absolutely nothing wrong.”

Mayor Craig Greenberg said that a shuttle bus that struck and killed a resident shortly before the incident “led to a series of very unfortunate events in dark, rainy and tense conditions.”