The Louisville Metro Police Department detective who was involved in the incident with Scottie Scheffler at the PGA Championship released a statement after all charges were dropped on Wednesday.
In the statement, Detective Bryan Gillis stuck to his story.
“To be clear, I was drug by the car, I went to the ground, and I received visible injuries to my knees and wrist,” the statement, via WAVE News, read. “I’m going to recover from it, and it will be OK. This is the extent of my commentary on the incident. The reality is that there are more important things in the world right now than a back-and-forth over this. A person lost his life that day, and a family lost a loved one.”
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Scottie Scheffler of the United States reacts to his putt on the eighth green during the third round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 18, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Gillis began his statement by saying the family of John Mills, the Valhalla Golf Club volunteer who lost his life after being struck by a shuttle bus on May 17, was in his thoughts and prayers.
“This was a chaotic situation for everyone involved,” Gillis’ statement continued. “Ensuring the safety of everyone in the vicinity was my utmost priority.
“Mr. Scheffler and I both agree that there will be no ill will over this going forward. Instead of giving a negative public reaction, he chose to speak with dignity, humility, and respect. My family and I appreciate that.”
Scheffler issued a statement via Instagram once charges were agreed to be dropped. In the statement, he once again commended the work of police officers, which he did after his arrest on May 17.
“Earlier today, I was informed by my attorney, Steve Romines, that all charges were formally dismissed in regard to the incident outside of Valhalla Golf Club on May 17,” Scheffler wrote on Instagram. “As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate misunderstanding. I hold no ill will toward Officer Gillis. I wish to put this incident behind me and move on, and I hope he will do the same. Police officers have a difficult job and I hold them in high regard. This was a severe miscommunication in a chaotic situation.”
However, Gillis did not appreciate what Romines said during his press conference, where he called it a “false arrest” of his client.
“It was unfortunate and disturbing to hear Steve Romines’ commentary today claiming that a ‘false arrest’ was made and for him to challenge my honesty and integrity. I’d be surprised and disappointed if Mr. Scheffler actually had any part in making those statements.”
Scheffler continued to say the situation was a “big misunderstanding,” as he was arrested and charged with four counts, one being felony assault of a police officer after Gillis wrote in his report that he was dragged by Scheffler’s vehicle after telling him to stop outside the golf course, and he sustained injuries because of it.
Scottie Scheffler speaks during a news conference after the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Valhalla Golf Club on Friday, May 17, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (AP Photo/Matt York)
However, video that was released upon investigation showed an officer running up to Scheffler’s car, reaching into the window and getting him to stop. The video did not show the officer getting dragged at any point.
Scheffler was seen in recent bodycam footage from a separate officer who was asking what happened in the situation, and he told Scheffler that the officer was being treated by EMS for injuries while he was handcuffed and in the back of a squad car.
“You’re right, I should have stopped,” Scheffler responded after telling the officer that he was unsure if it was a police officer or security guard. “I did get a little impatient because I’m quite late for my tee time. As he was reaching into the car, he grabbed my shoulder and hit me. It seemed to be a little overaggressive because the entrance was open, and I pulled up a little bit because I was afraid he was going to start hitting me. I didn’t know who he was. He didn’t tell me he was a police officer.”
“He just hit me with his flashlight and yelled, ‘Get out of the car,’” Scheffler added.
A reporter brought up that seeming admission from Scheffler during Romines’ press conference, to which he quickly snapped back.
“No, here’s what happened,” Romines answered quickly. “He is being interrogated after the most stressful situation of his life. And an officer is actually asking him leading questions and trying to get him to agree with them. And that’s why you don’t talk to the police because they are going to try to put words in your mouth! That’s exactly what they did.”
Gillis started to wrap up his statement by saying he wishes to continue serving the Louisville community.
“At the end of the day, I take pride in working for the people in the community to preserve their safety. I’ve spent two decades trying to protect this city through some challenging times. And I would like to keep doing so without the distractions caused by this series of events,” Gillis wrote.
However, he did have an odd end to the statement, when he mentioned $80 pants. It was the last line in the police report, which said $80 pants were damaged due to Gillis’ scraping his legs on the ground in the incident.
“PS…Yes, the department has us buying breaking $80 pants,” he wrote. “To those concerned, they were indeed ruined. But Scotties, it’s all good. I never would’ve guessed I’d have the most famous pair of pants in the country for a few weeks because of this. Take care and be safe.”
Gillis was reprimanded by his department, as Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said at a press conference that “corrective action” came after an internal investigation found proper protocols were not met. Gillis had failed to turn on his bodycam during the incident.
Scottie Scheffler tees off on the eighth hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 18, 2024. (Clare Grant-USA TODAY Sports)
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With Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell addressing the court Wednesday, when he filed a motion to have charges dropped, Scheffler’s wild series of events in Louisville comes to an official close.
After the Canadian Open and Memorial Tournament, Scheffler and the rest of the top golfers in the world will compete in the U.S. Open – the season’s third major – at the iconic Pinehurt No. 2 course in North Carolina on June 13-16.
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