February 08, 2016
Former Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy was involved in an aggravated assault at an Old City nightclub early Sunday morning that left two off-duty Philadelphia police officers hospitalized with serious injuries, according to multiple news reports.
McCoy, 27, who now plays for the Buffalo Bills, and was not identified by police, and others in his party were involved in an argument that erupted over the "ownership of a bottle of Champagne," which led to pushing and shoving at Recess Lounge on the 100 block of S. 2nd St. in Old City, reports said.
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In a statement, police said an altercation began with four suspects – only identified as reportedly NFL players – and one of the officers, with the officer being punched and knocked to the floor. That officer and another officer, both 40-year-olds, were injured in the ensuing fight, police said.
Philly.com is reporting that police are seeking arrest warrants, and identified the four suspects as McCoy, former San Diego Chargers running back Curtis Brinkley, 30; former University of Pittsburgh player Tamarcus Porter, 27; and Christopher Henderson, 26.
Just before the melee, the officers had purchased Champagne, Philly.com reported:
Sgt. Daniel Ayres and Officers Darnell Jessie and Roland Butler had purchased four bottles of Champagne shortly before the fracas, according to the incident reports.
Security guards helped break up the melee and threw all parties out of the nightclub, police said.
One officer was "punched, kicked and stomped" about the head and body several times by all four suspects, police said. He took himself to the hospital, where he was treated for a laceration to his right eye, a broken nose, broken ribs and a sprained thumb, police said.
The second officer was admitted to the hospital, where he received eight stitches over his left eye and is being treated for a possible skull fracture, police said.
The four suspects were subsequently identified through photographs by the complainants and by the security guards. Video surveillance was recovered from outside the club, which shows both parties being ejected from the club; however, the incident itself wasn't captured on video, according to police.
The investigation is active and ongoing, police said.
As of 1 p.m. Monday, police Sgt. Eric Gripp, a department spokesman, said that unless and until charges are handed down in this incident, the suspects will not be identified.
