Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain was arrested Thursday on allegations of discharging a firearm in public, third degree assault, menacing and reckless endangerment. McClain was released on bail Thursday afternoon and now awaits word on his status for Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
An Alabama news organization had a chance to speak to the alleged victim, Richard Tapscott, and get some more details about his side of the story. The police released a statement concerning Tapscott's allegations, but Tapscott provided more details to the media.
According to Tapscott, the whole sequence of events was an ambush by McClain and a mutual friend, Jerradius Willingham:
"I went over there, it was basically like an ambush, like they set me up to fight because as soon as I got there, he wasn't there, the gentleman I ended up getting into a fight with the first time. Then they all went outside and I was sitting in the house, and that's when they came back in the house and they were like, 'You're going to have to fight, come back out and fight,' and I was like 'I ain't fighting, I ain't coming outside.' And that's when he came in the house and assaulted me.
"Last night, before all the charges were pressed, I didn't want him to get in trouble, because I look at him like a brother, as a friend. I never thought it would come to this. What goes around comes around."
There has been no word yet from Rolando McClain in regards to the incident, although his lawyer has likely advised him to keep quiet for now. Until we hear his side of the story, we can do no more than take Tapscott's story at face value. The problem at this point is that there is an element missing from Tapscott's comments above.
If Tapscott is speaking the truth and he was ambushed by McClain and Willingham, there has to be a reason why. That is not meant to provide an excuse for why McClain might have done what he is charged with, but rather just for why this all went down. Normal, sane people do not generally attack other people with zero provocation. At the same time, whatever McClain did do, he put himself in a position he should not have and is now going to likely cost his team. For now we just have to wait and see how this plays out.