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Detective Bryan Gillis issues statement on his arrest of Scottie Scheffler. What did he say?

Though golf’s best player came out of his legal trouble unscathed, the same can’t be said for the policeman who detained him during the PGA Championship.

GLYN KIRKAFP

From the weather to a tragic death and of course the puzzling arrest of golf’s best player, the 2024 PGA Championship was a wild ride, but as things stand, the fallout from that ride is still continuing. Let’s get into it.

Detective Bryan Gillis has his say on the Scottie Scheffler incident

If you caught our previous report, then you will know that all charges were dropped against Scottie Scheffler with prejudice on Wednesday. What you may not have seen, is that Louisville Metro Police Detective Bryan Gillis - the officer who arrested Scheffler - has now issued a statement. Indeed, Gillis’ comments come after another one of our reports in which we covered the fact that he was not wearing a body camera at the time, or at the very least had it turned off, something that Lousville’s mayor, Craig Greenberg was forced to address.

Regarding Gillis’ take at that time, he stated that Scheffler disobeyed his orders and then proceeded to drag him to the ground with his car causing injuries to the officer as well as destruction of his clothing. According to an arrest citation, Scheffler ignored Gillis’ instructions in front of Valhalla Golf Club hours before his second-round tee time at the 106th PGA Championship. For context, the increased police presence was due to a shuttle bus accident which tragically resulted in an individual losing his life.

This brings us to Gillis’ statement which by the looks of things did not in any way walk back on his original position. “To be clear, I was drug by the car, I went to the ground, and I received visible injuries to my knees and wrists,” he wrote in his statement. “I’m going to recover from it, and it will be OK. This is the extent of my commentary on the incident.” Gillis also discussed the above-mentioned accident which claimed the life of 69-year-old Jon Mills, a security officer who was struck and killed on Shelbyville Road by a shuttle bus earlier that morning (May 17th). He then wished Scheffler “all the best”, before seemingly making light of the department’s reaction to his damaged uniform. “Yes, the department has us buying freaking $80 pants. To those concerned, they were indeed ruined. But Scottie, it’s all good. I never would’ve guessed I’d have the most famous pair of pants in the country for a few weeks because of this. Take care and be safe.”

With that, what can only be described as a strange sequence of events appears to finally be over, or at least that’s what Scheffler himself seems to hope. “As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate misunderstanding. I hold no ill will toward Officer Gillis,” Scheffler said in his statement. I wish to put this incident behind me and move on, and I hope he will do the same. Police officers have a difficult job and I hold them in high regard. This was a severe miscommunication in a chaotic situation. I appreciate the support during the past two weeks and want to again encourage everyone to remember the real tragedy of May 17th. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with John Mills and his family, and I hope to personally offer my condolences now that the case is over. May John rest in peace.”

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