Newz Forum: BASKETBALL: Shaq helps Miami police make arrest

Shaquille O'Neal, who hopes to be a police chief or county sheriff one day, helped the Miami Beach police by assisting in the arrest of an 18 year old. The mn was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon. He ws yelling anti-gay slurs at a couple, who were walking down the street, and struck one with a bottle.

Originally posted on ESPN

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Shaquille O'Neal provided an assist to police over the weekend, trailing a man who allegedly assaulted a gay couple before alerting an arresting officer.

The 7-foot-1 Miami Heat center, who is in the process of becoming a Miami Beach reserve officer, was driving on South Beach around 3 a.m. Sunday. He saw a passenger in a car yell anti-gay slurs at the couple, who were walking, said Bobby Hernandez, a spokesman for the Miami Beach Police Department.

The man then got out of the car and threw a bottle, hitting one of the pedestrians, who was not seriously hurt. The man got back in the car, which sped off. O'Neal followed, flagging down an officer who made an arrest, Hernandez said.

Michael Gonzalez, 18, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon. The driver of the car was not charged.

O'Neal, who hopes to be a police chief or county sheriff one day, was already being fitted for his Miami Beach police uniform before he helped the police out.

"For this incident I don't want to be credited as an individual who does police work," O'Neal said in a statement. "I want to be credited as a Miami Beach police officer."

I'd love to see Shaq as a police officer. Nobody will dare assault him unless they are armed with bazooka's. I do wonder if him becoming an officer, will cause a slight increase in minor crimes, in hopes that the criminal will get to see a living legend... even if that legend is the one locking him up.
















[Edited on 15/9/05 by TRD]