A practice-squad member of the Falcons was arrested after an early Saturday morning traffic stop devolved into a brawl, an officer firing a gun and a chase.
Cameron Batson was booked into the Fulton County Jail on Saturday evening on five charges including aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, according to jail records.
Atlanta police said Batson, a 27-year-old wide receiver, was pulled over on I-75 near the Northside Drive exit about 2 a.m. The officer said Batson was speeding and failing to maintain his lane.
A field sobriety test was conducted, and the officer said the driver was intoxicated, according to the police statement shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While trying to take him into custody, police said a physical altercation took place, and the officer fired his weapon. No one was struck by the gunfire, and it’s unclear whether Batson possessed a weapon during the fight.
Police said Batson got back into his vehicle, a pickup truck, and fled the scene, crashing near Northside and Echota drives. Batson is then accused of getting out of the vehicle and running away.
A manhunt ensued, and police were able to find Batson hiding in the area, according to the statement. The officer and suspect were taken to a hospital to treat their wounds. Channel 2 Action News reported the officer suffered a shoulder injury and cuts and bruises during the incident.
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In a statement released Saturday, the Falcons said they had “been made aware of an overnight incident involving Cameron Batson and are currently gathering information from law enforcement agencies.”
“We take this matter seriously and have no further comment at this time,” the team’s statement read.
Batson signed with the team’s practice squad in 2022 following four seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
When asked after Sunday’s game against the Cardinals about Batson’s arrest, Falcons coach Arthur Smith said, “We put out the statement and I’ll let that stand. I’ll let the whole process play out. I don’t have a new update.”
As to whether Batson is still part of the practice squad, Smith said, “I’m just going to go with the statement. ... I’ll leave it at that.”
Batson faces another aggravated assault charge in addition to the count accusing him of aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer. He also faces counts of fleeing or attempting to elude, attempting to remove a weapon from a public official and battery.
Staff writer D. Orlando Ledbetter contributed to this article.
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