New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said in a news conference Thursday morning that he wanted to apologize to James Blake, the pro tennis star who was mistakenly tackled and detained by police, but hadn’t been able to reach him.
Bratton earlier said that an investigation had been launched into the Wednesday incident, but defended the five white officers involved, saying a suspect in an identity theft ring looked “like the twin brother” of Blake, who is black.
Blake was tackled to the ground and handcuffed outside his hotel, leaving a cut on his left elbow and bruises on his left leg. He was headed to the U.S. Open and to make corporate appearances for Time-Warner cable. He was previously ranked No. 4 in the world for tennis.
“If you look at the photograph of the suspect, it looks like the twin brother of Mr. Blake. So let’s put that nonsense to rest right now,” Bratton told CNN Thursday morning. “Sorry, race has nothing at all to do with this.”
Video from the incident led to one officer to be placed on desk duty, Bratton told the news channel.
Bratton said in the news conference Thursday morning that he and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio had attempted to contact Blake to apologize via phone, but had not yet reached him.
“I want to extend my apologies for the incident in which he found himself in,” Bratton said.
Bratton said he had “concerns about the take down” and that the video did not show anything that he would describe as “resisting arrest” on Blake’s part.
Blake had not yet filed a formal complaint about the incident to police, Bratton said.
