Will NFL player Kareem Hunt face charges for assault caught on video?

One of the NFL’s best running backs, Kareem Hunt, came under fire when TMZ released security camera footage of an assault. The video shows Hunt repeatedly shoving a woman, at one point to the floor, and kicking her. The Kansas City Chiefs released Hunt soon after the footage came out on November 30th, but the actual incident took place last February.

At the time, the NFL investigated the incident but concluded that Hunt wasn’t involved. The league reviewed police reports, the 911 call and police body-cams, but didn’t interview Hunt or the victim. Neither the police nor the league obtained the footage. Questions have been raised about why the NFL didn’t make more of an effort to secure it.

Why weren’t charges filed?

Because the victim reportedly didn’t suffer any injuries, the incident would likely have been charged as a misdemeanor assault. According to one source, the police referred the victim to city prosecutors, but she apparently took no further action. And the victim has since gone silent. Still, she does have 18 months to press charges.

Ray Rice flashback

The incident brings to mind the uproar over Ray Rice in 2014. Then, too, TMZ released security camera footage of Rice knocking out his fiancée with a punch to the head. Rice was indicted for felony assault, but the charges were eventually dropped.

More skeletons in the closet?

TMZ has also released a police report and video footage implicating Hunt in another assault. The incident took place in a Kansas City nightclub in early January. The victim was knocked out and suffered serious injuries, including a broken rib and broken nose. However, he apparently stopped cooperating with police, making it unlikely that charges will follow.