A video that appears to show former Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt shoving and kicking a woman at a hotel in February 2018 was released by TMZ on Friday.
In footage captured by security cameras, Hunt the NFL’s reigning rushing champion knocking over and kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel hallway in February.
Police responded to the altercation, which occurred inside a hotel in Cleveland, but no arrests were made and Hunt did not face criminal charges.
The Feb. 10 incident was known to the NFL, Chiefs team personnel and the public based on earlier reporting. Hunt addressed reporters about the accusations and a separate assault allegation prior to the 2018 NFL season, but the video had not been made public until now.
The Kansas City Chiefs released running back Kareem Hunt on Friday night after video surfaced.
The team issued a statement shortly after the NFL had placed Hunt on its Commissioner Exemption List that said the running back lied when asked about the incident by team officials. The team said “the video today confirms that fact. We are releasing Kareem immediately.”
The Chiefs and the NFL have been aware of Hunt’s incident since it occurred, but much like the case involving former Ravens running back Ray Rice, the video brought a new dimension to the case. It showed Hunt lunging toward a woman and several others in the hotel hallway, and the second-year pro being restrained several times before knocking two people down.
While no charges were filed from the altercation, two police reports were created. Hunt is listed as the suspect in one of them and a woman, Abigail Ottinger, is the suspect in the other one.
Hunt also was involved in a June incident, according to TMZ, in which he allegedly punched a man at an Ohio resort. The man Hunt struck declined to press charges.
“I want to apologize for my actions. I deeply regret what I did,” Hunt said in a statement issued to several outlets shortly after he was released. “I hope to move on from this.”
When asked about the incidents in training camp, Hunt said “I’ve learned from it.” When asked to elaborate on what he learned, he replied: “Just be in the right place at the right time.”
Hunt led the NFL in rushing as a rookie with 1,327 yards and eight touchdowns in helping Kansas City make the playoffs. He had run for 824 yards this season, with seven touchdowns rushing and seven more receiving, in helping the Chiefs to a 9-2 start and a lead in the AFC West.
Domestic violence has been a major issue in the NFL in recent years, one that struck home in Kansas City in 2012 when Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend before killing himself at the team’s practice facility. Belcher was later found to have suffered from CTE.
Watch Kareem Hunt’s assault video: