Bryan Gillis, the Louisville police detective who arrested Scottie Scheffler in Valhalla earlier this month, broke his silence after all charges against the world’s No. 1 golfer were dropped Wednesday.
Scheffler had faced four charges, including second-degree assault on a police officer, following the dramatic events of May 17; when he was arrested and taken away in handcuffs after reaching the second round of the PGA Championship.
The 27-year-old was accused of speeding away in his car when officers ordered him to stop, and dragging Gillis to the ground in the process, before being arrested and jailed in a shocking series of events.
On Wednesday, however, Scheffler was cleared of all charges after the Jefferson County prosecutor’s office filed a motion to dismiss the case, admitting that his claim that it was all a misunderstanding “is corroborated by the evidence.”
After the attorney’s office decided not to pursue criminal action, Gillis released a statement praising the golf star for agreeing to move on from the incident while also paying tribute to the family of John Mills, the 69-year-old man who He was hit by a bus and killed outside Valhalla before Scheffler’s arrest.
Louisville Police Detective Bryan Gillis broke his silence after all charges against Scottie Scheffler were dropped.
Scheffler was arrested on his way to the PGA Championship in Valhalla earlier this month.
“A tragic incident occurred and Mr. Mills’ family remains in my family’s thoughts and prayers,” he said in a statement. ‘This was a chaotic situation for everyone involved. Ensuring the safety of everyone in the surrounding area was my top priority.
‘Mister. Scheffler and I agree that there will be no hard feelings about this in the future. Instead of giving a negative public reaction, he chose to speak with dignity, humility and respect. My family and I appreciate it.
‘It was unfortunate and disturbing to hear Steve Romines comment today claiming that a “false arrest” was made and for him to challenge my honesty and integrity. I would be surprised and disappointed if Mr. Scheffler actually had anything to do with making those statements. To be clear, I was swept by the car, fell to the ground, and received visible injuries to my knees and wrists. I’m going to recover and everything will be fine. This is where my comment on the incident ends. The reality is that there are more important things in the world right now than a back-and-forth over this. One person lost their life that day and a family lost a loved one.
‘At the end of the day, I am proud to work for the people of the community to keep them safe. I’ve spent two decades trying to protect this city during difficult times. And I would like to continue doing it without the distractions caused by this series of events.
“I wish Scottie Scheffler and his family all the best.”
Then he added: ‘PS… Yeah, the department makes us buy some damn $80 pants. For those interested, they were actually broke. But Scottie, everything’s fine. He would never have imagined that he would have the most famous pair of pants in the country for a few weeks because of this. Take care and stay safe.’