Isaiah Crowell, running back for the Cleveland Browns, has issued an apology for what he calls a “disgusting, bad picture” he posted on Instagram last week. The now-deleted image depicted a faceless man in all black slashing the throat of an officer whose hands seem to be tied behind his back. Crowell vowed to donate his first paycheck of the 2016 season to the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation.
“They give polices [sic] all types of weapons and they continuously choose to kill us …” Crowell wrote.
The image was posted in response to Alton Sterling and Philando Castile’s deaths at the hands of police in Louisiana and Minnesota, which occurred July 5 and 6. It was shared before Micah Xavier Johnson’s alleged retaliation that saw five officers killed in Dallas.
Crowell initially posted an apology on Twitter Monday, where he said sharing the picture was “an extremely poor decision” adding his “values and beliefs do not match that image.”
https://twitter.com/IsaiahCrowell34/status/752618868359692288
“I was very wrong in posting that image,” he concluded. “Every single life matters, every death as a result of violence should be treated with equal outrage and penalty.”
The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association called the apology “store bought.”
“I will pull Cleveland officers, sheriffs, state troopers out of First Energy Stadium this season if he doesn’t make it right,” association president Stephen Loomis told TMZ. “You’re a grown a– man, and you claim you were too emotional to know it was wrong? Think we’ll accept your apology? Kiss my a–.”
The former Alabama State player shared another apology in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Crowell said he “wanted you to hear my voice and see my face and understand that I’m sorry.”
“I’ve seen violence throughout the country, and I’m really just emotional about it,” he said. “And during that emotion, I did something I wish I could take back. I posted a really disgusting, bad picture and I took it down immediately because I knew I was wrong.”
“I want to be part of the solution,” he continued. “And to back that up, my first game check is going to the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation. Also, I’m committed to doing whatever I can to create open dialogue between my communities and the police who serve us.”
“I know this may not change your mind about me,” he said at the end of the clip, “And I know I can’t take the post back, but I’m sorry. And moving forward, I’m committed to being part of the solution.”
The CPPA accepted the apology. Telling TMZ the first apology “wasn’t sincere,” Loomis said he would “love to work with Isaiah in the future.”
“We are missing opportunities that we should be seizing as law enforcement and athletes in the city,” he said.
