Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain was arrested Thursday in his hometown of Decatur, Ala. for discharging a firearm within city limits, third degree assault, menacing, and reckless endangerment stemming after a Wednesday night incident.
In a Thursday phone interview with WAFF 48 in Huntsville, the alleged victim, 23-year-old Rishard Tapscott, shed new light on the events surrounding the altercation, telling the TV station he was ambushed by McClain and an accomplice.
"I went over there, it was basically like an ambush, like they set me up to fight," Tapscott said, via the San Francisco Chronicle, "because as soon as I got there they all went outside and I was sitting in the house. That's when they came back in the house and they were like, 'You're going to have to fight, come back out and fight.' I was like 'I ain't fighting, I ain't coming outside,' and that's when he came in the house and assaulted me."
Lt. John Crouch of the Decatur Police Department released a statement Thursday, stating that McClain allegedly fired a gun beside a man's head during a fight. The statement added that the man begged McClain not to shoot him.
Tapscott told the station he suffered several broken ribs, a broken nose, and a mild concussion. He also said he plans to take legal action, after initially not wanting McClain to get in trouble for the incident.
"(Wednesday) night, before all the charges were pressed, I didn't want him (McClain) to get in trouble because I look at him like a brother, as a friend," Tapscott said. "I never thought it would come to this. What goes around comes around."
A Raiders spokesman confirmed Thursday afternoon to the Oakland Tribune that the team was aware of an incident involving McClain, but that confirmation came before the linebacker's arrest.
The Raiders have not released a statement on the matter since charges were filed against McClain.
