Video shows officer shoved Raptors exec Masai Ujiri first in altercation during 2019 NBA Finals

Video shows officer shoved Raptors exec Masai Ujiri first in altercation during 2019 NBA Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

It’s been over a year since Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations  Masai Ujiri’s NBA Finals celebration was halted by an altercation with a police officer at Oracle Arena. 

Officer Alan Strickland filed a lawsuit in February and alleged that Ujiri assaulted him in the moments after Toronto’s championship-clinching victory. Also as a result of the incident, Strickland suffered injuries to his “body, health, strength, activity and person, all of which have caused and continue to cause Plaintiff great mental, emotional, psychological, physical, and nervous pain and suffering.”

However, once bodycam footage was released by Ujiri’s legal team showing the officer shoving the Raptors executive twice before retaliation occurred, Ujiri filed a countersuit.

“Only after being unjustifiably told to ‘back the f— up’ and shoved twice did Mr. Ujiri show any response and return a shove to Mr. Strickland’s chest,” the suit said, according to ESPN. “Mr. Ujiri’s defensive response was a reasonable and justified reaction to Mr. Strickland’s use of unnecessary and excessive force.”

The Alameda County Sheriff originally requested Ujiri to be charged with battery of a peace officer, though the Alameda District Attorney declined to press charges after an investigation and meeting with Ujiri’s legal team. 

Ujiri’s countersuit claims that Strickland falsely portrayed the executive as “the initial aggressor and an inherently violent individual,” calling the officer’s recollection of the event a “complete fabrication.”

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