INDIANAPOLIS - Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie was arrested early Sunday after an incident at a downtown Miami nightclub.
McKinnie, who lives in Davie, Fla., and played for the University of Miami, was involved in a large street brawl outside an establishment known as Club Space. The 28-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated battery, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence.
The Associated Press reported police said McKinnie was transported to jail with injuries, but the extent was not known. The story was first reported on the Miami Herald's website.
Several Vikings officials, including Vice President of Player Personnel Rick Spielman and coach Brad Childress, were in Indianapolis on Sunday at the NFL Scouting Combine. The team released a statement saying: "We are aware of the situation with Bryant McKinnie. We will respond further once we have collected the appropriate information."
According to a Miami police report obtained by The Herald, McKinnie spit on the face of a bouncer, 32-year-old Eric Otero, shoved a camera phone into his face and then picked up a heavy pole and slammed it over Otero's head. This occurred in front of a large crowd.
The trouble had started when Otero attempted to eject the 6-8, 335-pound McKinnie from the club. As he was being taken out of the establishment, McKinnie yelled obscenities and spit in Otero's face according to police. Otero said if McKinnie left, he would not press charges.
The police then saw McKinnie entering a nearby strip club. But the Herald reported that, at about 6:30 a.m., police were again called to Club Space. Police found McKinnie "in the middle of a large crowd, throwing punches and again yelling obscenities" at Otero, the police report said. The police told him to stop, but he refused and boarded a charter bus. The driver of the bus was ordered not to leave.
McKinnie was bonded out for $9,000 on Sunday afternoon, Miami-Dade County Corrections Department spokeswoman Janelle Hall told the AP.
McKinnie's agent, Ben Dogra, didn't return a call Sunday night.
This isn't McKinnie's first brush with the law.
He was involved in the Vikings' infamous Love Boat incident on Lake Minnetonka in 2005 and ended up pleading guilty to charges of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He had to pay $2,000 in fines and perform 48 hours of community service. McKinnie, who signed a seven-year contract extension worth $48.5 million in 2006, also was fined one game's pay by the NFL.
In October 2005, misdemeanor charges were dismissed against McKinnie and fellow Vikings offensive lineman Marcus Johnson in connection with an overnight disturbance at a Minneapolis service station.
