MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have arrested mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor after he allegedly got into an altercation with a fan in Miami Beach.
According to the arrest form, McGregor and the victim were exiting the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, at 4441 Collins Ave., when the fan tried to take a picture of McGregor with his cellphone, Monday morning.
The form states the fighter slapped the phone out of the fan’s hand, which caused it to fall to the ground.
McGregor then stomped on the phone several times while it was on the ground, then walked away with the fan’s phone, the arrest form said.
The victim, later identified as 22-year-old Englishman Ahmed Abdirzak, told authorities his phone was valued at $1,000.
“He come and he try to come shake my hand, like, he came to shake my hand, and as soon as he come shake my hand, he pulled me in, and he grabbed my phone and started smashing it, and all his security guards literally surrounded me, push me out of the way,” Abdirzak told TMZ Sports. “Then I was like, ‘Yo, sir, can I have my phone back?’ They was like, ‘Yo, move, man, move. You better listen to what Conor say, what Conor say.'”
Noah Abdirzak, the victim’s brother, told the Daily Mail, “He’s very shaken. Very upset. He’s a fan of McGregor’s. He watches his fights on TV. That’s why he tried to take a picture of him.”
Miami Beach Police later located McGregor and arrested him at a home on Venetian Drive.
He faces charges of criminal mischief and strong-armed robbery.
Conor McGregor taken into custody after altercation with fan in #MiamiBeach. More from @wsvn #7News throughout night. @MiamiBeachPD pic.twitter.com/BmzYfEGWVJ
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) March 11, 2019
According to police, McGregor was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he has since bonded out.
McGregor’s attorneys released a statement on the fighter’s arrest Monday night that read, “Last evening, Conor McGregor was involved in a minor altercation involving a cell phone that resulted in a call to law enforcement. Mr. McGregor appreciates the response of law enforcement and pledges his full cooperation.”
The UFC star shared an Instagram post hours after his release with the caption, “Patience in this world is a virtue I continue to work on. I love my fans dearly. Thank you all.”
A photo of him walking out of jail was attached.
He later posted a picture on his Instagram story of what appears to be him in the backseat Miami Beach Police cruiser.
Monday’s arrest is not the first time McGregor has been behind bars.
In April 2018, McGregor was arrested in New York after he attacked a bus with rival fighters on board.
His Brooklyn attack left two athletes with injuries and three fights to be pulled from UFC 223’s card.
7News tried to speak with a man who was at the house McGregor was arrested at, but he did not want to be interviewed.
McGregor’s arraignment has been scheduled for April 10.
7News cameras captured McGregor leaving the Venetian Drive vacation home Tuesday afternoon.
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