Statement outlines Vikings DL Tom Johnson's side of Sunday arrest

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Tom Johnson said he was just waiting for his car, and later a ride, when confronted by Minneapolis police early Sunday morning leading to his arrest and charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Johnson had promised his representatives would make a statement and his agent released a sequence of events on Tuesday evening. Johnson, 30, was arrested outside of the Seven steakhouse in Minneapolis and charged with trespassing/refusal to depart and disorderly conduct. He was later released on $78 bail.

"My lawyer told me let them handle it, basically," Johnson said earlier Tuesday. "And for me I just feel like people that's in the authorities should be accountable, you know? If they do something negligent, they should be accountable just like anybody else."

In the statement, Johnson's representatives say he was at the Seven Steakhouse and Lounge at closing time, 2 a.m., Sunday morning and was waiting for his vehice, which was valet parked. Johnson was waiting in the lobby of the restaurant and was told to leave "because he was wearing boots," according to the statement.

When Johnson questioned the request, two off-duty, in-uniform police officers employed by Seven approached Johnson "and began yelling at Mr. Johnson to leave the lobby."

One of the officers used pepper spray on Johnson. Later, Johnson was outside and called a car service because his vision was impaired from the pepper spray, according to the statement. Johnson's representatives said they have call logs and photos to verify some of the incidents.

A video was included with the statement, showing an officer approaching Johnson and appearing to knock the phone out of Johnson's hand while asking for identification. Johnson said "I haven't done anything wrong," on the video when the officer asked for identification.

According to the statement, Johnson tried to reach for his phone on the ground when an officer used a taser on Johnson between the shoulder blades.

"It is clear via time-stamping of pictures and the video that the situation was clearly not a hostile one that required the excess use of force," the statement reads. "Battery committed against Mr. Johnson by the off-duty police officers is a clear violation of Mr. Johnson's rights. We are continuing to investigate and will move forward with the proper legal actions once that process has concluded. We are confident that once the facts of the case are revealed Mr. Johnson will be fully exonerated."

Johnson was back at practice with his teammates on Tuesday and is expected to play Sunday when the Vikings host the Detroit Lions.

"I've talked to him and we're still collecting the facts," coach Mike Zimmer said. "So, we'll leave it at that as we go."

Asked if the arrest will affect Johnson's status for Sunday's game, Zimmer said: "As of right now, no."

The police report, according to the Associated Press, states that Johnson refused to leave the restaurant after closing time. The report said police had to use a chemical spray and stun gun to subdue Johnson.

Johnson was charged with misdemeanor counts of trespassing and disorderly conduct. Johnson, in his first season with Minnesota after three years with the New Orleans Saints, is scheduled for a court hearing on Oct. 17.

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