Photographer allegedly punched by Rashee Rice in Dallas won't pursue charges, police say
DALLAS - A photographer who accused Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice of assaulting him outside a club in Downtown Dallas will not pursue charges against the former SMU standout.
Dallas police said the person who reported the assault signed an affidavit of non-prosecution.
Law enforcement sources told FOX 4 that Rice was under investigation for the incident that reportedly happened outside Lit Kitchen and Lounge on May 6.
In a heavily redacted Dallas police report obtained by FOX 4 through a public records request, the alleged victim claims he was punched in the face.
He told officers that he had left the club off Harwood Street earlier that morning but was called back around 2 a.m. when his alleged attacker messaged him on Instagram asking him to return.
The man told police he believed Rice wanted to hire him to take photos.
When he arrived at the club, Rice allegedly told the victim to look at his phone. When he did, Rice punched him on the left side of his face, according to the report.
The report states the victim suffered a minor injury, including swelling of the jaw.
The report is heavily redacted, and it doesn’t show the name of the victim or the alleged attacker. Rice was never officially named a suspect in this case.
"There's nothing wrong with the guy. He doesn’t look like a guy that got beat up somewhere," Reza Dibaje, the owner of Lit Kitchen and Lounge, told FOX 4 earlier this month.
Dibaje said he talked to police and turned over his surveillance video. He says nothing on the video shows a disturbance and he heard nothing from his staff about an alleged attack.
"To me, if someone gets into a fight or an argument or even a slap, you would see the people yelling and screaming. You can hear all that. This never happened," he said.
Dallas police said their investigation is still ongoing despite the victim’s decision.
It is unclear what is still under investigation in this case.
Rice is still facing eight charges for a multi-vehicle, hit-and-run crash in Dallas in March.
Video showed a Corvette and Lamborghini SUV speeding on Central Expressway and losing control, then crashing into four vehicles.
Police said Rice was driving the Lamborghini and Theodore Knox, an SMU football player, was driving the Corvette.
Both were charged with aggravated assault, collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury.
The NFL Network reports that Rice participated in organized team practice activities for the Chiefs on Monday.
