A former Dallas Cowboys star found himself handcuffed by local police and in the crosshairs of an officer's rifle after an alleged parking lot altercation with a reckless driver.
On Sunday, Dez Bryant-the former star wide receiver for the Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens-said he and the driver ended up in the same parking lot at Chiloso Mexican Bistro in Southlake, just minutes from where his son, Dez Jr., plays football at Southlake Carroll.
"I was at a light. I noticed this kid next to me. He was with somebody behind me, and I could tell that they was horse playing, they was honking, whatever the case may be, honking back and forth with each other, but I ain't thinking too much about it," Bryant said to Outkick's Jackson Thompson. "And as the light turned green, the car next to me, he shot out, jumped in front of me."
Dez Bryant says he was was cut off by reckless drivers yesterday, and then when he tried to tell them to drive safer, one of the drivers threatened to shoot him and then called the cops on him. Dez says when police arrived, they aimed guns at him and made him get on the ground, all while his daughters watched. Bryant is now calling for fairness and a thorough investigation. "Treat everybody fair. Treat everybody fair. Treat everybody with respect," he said. "Do your due diligence on what's actually going on."
- Jackson Thompson (@JackThompsonFOX) October 26, 2026
An argument ensued, with Bryant accusing the man of driving recklessly. Bryant, who acknowledged that he knocked the phone out of the man's hand during the confrontation, said the driver then threatened to shoot him.
"I told him, I said, 'Hey man, you pulled that gun. I'm telling you right now, you better use it because if you don't, I'm going to do something to you,' Bryant said to Thompson. "He pulled his phone out, and I told him, 'Hey, get the phone off of me.' So what I ended up doing is I knocked the phone out of his hand."
Bryant said that after he knocked the phone out, the driver threatened to call the police, and he responded that he had the right to protect himself.
Video shows officer aiming gun at Bryant
However when police arrived, Bryant said that officers pointed a gun at him and told them all to get to the ground. Bryant, who was in the vehicle with his daughters, had his partner come to the scene to get the kids.
🚨OUTKICK EXCLUSIVE: A confrontation with alleged reckless drivers ends with Dez Bryant on the ground in handcuffs. Police point a gun at the former Cowboys star as his daughters watch. Bryant was cited for assault following the incident. https://t.co/DOpnR4WMLP
- OutKick (@Outkick) October 26, 2026
Footage provided to OutKick showed an officer aiming a gun at Bryant. Bryant is also seen lying on the ground in handcuffs alongside the two other men in the parking lot.
"I was so confident in myself that I ain't doing anything wrong," Bryant said to Thompson. "I was really more so concerned about my children, looking at their dad, being on the ground, but a gun pointed at me-I think that made me more bothered than anything."
Bryant noted that the other men involved in the altercation were allowed to leave after police reviewed the cell phone video. According to TMZ, Bryant was issued a citation for "Assault by Contact" and must appear in municipal court by Nov. 20. The Cowboys alum called the officer's decision "one-sided" and said he will claim self-defense.
"So I said, 'Take me to jail. I would've rather you guys take us all down to the police station and do the proper investigation instead of just taking somebody else's side.'" Bryant said. "I felt like it was very one-sided. And for me, I just feel like I can't let that slide."
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This article originally published at Former Cowboys star says police pointed rifle at him after parking lot dispute.