It has been nearly two weeks since golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested on charges including felony second-degree assault of a police officer, ahead of the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship.
Recently, a new video surfaced providing audio from Scheffler inside a police vehicle shortly after his arrest by Louisville Metro Police.
The video, posted on Facebook by Maxwell Mitchell—founder of Flipping The Seen and CEO of Maxwellsounds, a music social network—captures Scheffler explaining the events at Valhalla Golf Club that led to the altercation and his subsequent arrest. The authenticity of Scheffler’s voice in the video is clear, although it’s not specified how the video was obtained.
In the recording, Scheffler narrates his arrival at the golf course: “I had to loop all the way around, taking about a half hour,” he begins. “So I’m pulling in here, the police officer up there told me to come the opposite way with the traffic and then come in. As I was pulling in, my window was down, and the officer told me to stop. First of all, I did not know he was a police officer, I thought he was one of the security guards that was mistaken.”
Scheffler is interrupted by another person, likely a police officer, who questions why it would matter if the individual was a security guard or a police officer. Scheffler responds, “Yes, you’re right, I should have stopped. I did get a little impatient because I’m quite late for my tee time. As he was reaching in the car, he grabbed my shoulder and hit me.”
The conversation reveals that the officer was trying to stop him, and Scheffler felt the officer’s actions were overly aggressive. “It seemed to be a little bit overaggressive because the entrance was open. I pulled away because I was afraid he was going to start hitting me. I didn’t know who he was, he didn’t tell me he was a police officer, all I saw was the yellow jacket.”
The dialogue continues with the officer informing Scheffler that he had dragged the officer with his car, exacerbating the situation by not exiting his vehicle. Scheffler explains, “I still was not aware he was a police officer. I was actually looking out the window of the car to try to find a police officer. If I knew he was a police officer I would have been much more or less afraid. But the panic kind of set in, as you can see I’m still shaking because I was afraid. I didn’t know who he was. He didn’t say, ‘Police, get out of the car,’ he just hit me with his flashlight and yelled, ‘Get out of the car.'”
Scheffler insists he would have complied had he known the man was a police officer. Towards the end of the video, an officer points out Scheffler’s mistake in not recognizing that yellow vests indicate police presence.
Since the officer involved did not have his bodycam activated during the arrest, video evidence has been limited. The LMPD confirmed that the officer received “corrective action” for this breach of policy. Despite this, legal proceedings are going ahead, with Scheffler’s lawyer maintaining his client’s innocence and refusing any settlement.
Scheffler’s arraignment is scheduled for June 3, with a hearing for the case also set for the coming Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.
