Rashee Rice allegedly punched photographer outside Dallas club, police report says
DALLAS - Law enforcement sources tell FOX 4 Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is under investigation for an alleged assault outside a club in Downtown Dallas.
No charges have been filed in this case so far, and the former SMU standout has not been officially named a suspect in this case.
In a heavily redacted Dallas police report obtained by FOX 4 through a public records request, the alleged victim claims he was punched in the face early Monday morning at a nightclub in Downtown Dallas.
Police say around 3:30 a.m. Monday, officers were dispatched to an apartment complex on Maple Avenue near Mockingbird Lane to take a report.
A man told officers that he had left Lit Kitchen and Lounge off Harwood Street earlier that morning but was called back to the club around 2 a.m. when his alleged attacker messaged him on Instagram asking him to return.
The man told police he believed Rice wanted to hire him to take photos.
When he arrived at the club, Rice allegedly told the victim to look at his phone. When he did, Rice punched him on the left side of his face, according to the report.
The report states the victim suffered a minor injury, including swelling of the jaw.
The report is heavily redacted, and it doesn’t show the name of the victim or the alleged attacker. Dallas police say it is not their practice to release or confirm a suspect's identity during an investigation.
However, the suspect's age, height and weight match that of the Chiefs' wide receiver.
The case is classified as a misdemeanor assault.
Reza Dibaje is the owner of Lit Kitchen & Lounge.
"I saw him outside leaving towards his van afterward. That’s why I was surprised by this whole deal," he said.
Dibaje tells FOX 4 he didn't see Rice throw any punches outside his club early Monday morning. He and his security supervisor were interviewed by police Monday and turned over surveillance.
"I didn’t even know about it until I got phone calls on Monday from a detective. He left a voicemail. We met. He came to my place, and we met there. And he asked me all his questions, and I didn’t know what he was talking about," the owner recalled. "To me, if someone fights or argument or even a slap, you would see the people yelling and screaming. You can hear all that. This never happened."
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Injuries listed in the lawsuit include brain trauma, lacerations to the face requiring stitches, bruises and internal bleeding.
Rice, who attended SMU and Richland High School, was previously charged with eight felonies in connection to a high-speed, hit-and-run crash in late March that injured four people on Central Expressway in Dallas.
Investigators say Rice and SMU cornerback Teddy Knox were speeding at more than 115 miles an hour.
After the crash, police say Rice, Knox and their passengers left the scene.
Photos acquired by TMZ Sports showed the men walking away from the scene of the crash.
Attorney Russell Wilson is not associated with the case. He says a misdemeanor assault charge could affect Rice’s bond conditions. That would be up to a judge.
"The previous charges are felony charges. Those are the more serious charges," he said. "The allegation of a misdemeanor assault in comparison the penalty ranges are lower. They are just not as serious as the felony charges."
FOX 4 reached out to Rice's lawyer and the Kansas City Chiefs for comment, but we have not heard back.