Crime & Safety
Video Of Braves' Ozuna Grabbing His Wife's Neck Released By Police
Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna was accused of domestic violence in May and retroactively suspended by MLB for the incident.
SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Police have released body camera footage of Atlanta Braves player Marcell Ozuna with his hand around his wife’s throat moments before he was arrested in May.
Sandy Springs police on Wednesday released the body camera footage (Warning: This video depicts domestic violence) of the arresting officer entering Ozuna’s home and stopping him in the midst of grabbing his wife. The video shows his right hand on her throat backing her across the foyer through the open front door as the officer approaches the home with a stun gun aimed in his outstretched hand.
The Braves outfielder was charged with felony aggravated assault with strangulation and with battery in connection with the May 29 domestic incident. The felony charge was later dropped, leaving only the misdemeanor battery charge. Ozuna was placed on a leave of absence, from Sept. 21 through the end of the season, that Major League Baseball announced Monday retroactively as a suspension.
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The footage was released, Sandy Springs Police said, after it was reported by "at least one media outlet." TMZ was the first to air the footage.
In the video, Ozuna’s left hand is in a yellow cast, and his wife swings and knocks his right hand away from her just as the officer begins to make commands.
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“Get your hands off her,” the officer yells in the video. “Get on the ground.”
A third person, an unidentified male, is also inside the home as the incident unfolds, and the officer orders Ozuna to raise his hands and get on the ground. He complies. The officer then orders Ozuna’s wife to exit the home and begins questioning the second man in the house.
Ozuna was accused of choking his wife, striking her with the wrapped hand, and slamming her against a wall, according to police reports.
If someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please listen to them, offer them support, provide resources, help them develop a safety plan, and respect their choices. If you are in an abusive relationship, please visit the Sandy Springs Police Department website with information and resources available to you.
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