Police: Video shows Saints’ Alvin Kamara in Strip scuffle

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara told Las Vegas police that he threw a “couple punches” during a scuffle on the Strip that left a man with an orbital fracture and other injuries early Saturday, according to his arrest report.

But video surveillance showed Kamara punching the victim repeatedly before other people with the football player stomped on the man while he was on the floor, the Metropolitan Police Department report stated.

The victim never hit anyone back, police said.

Attorneys representing Kamara wrote Tuesday that they would launch their own investigation.

“Alvin Kamara has gained a well-deserved reputation for being a hard-working and community-minded individual,” read the statement signed by attorneys Drew Findling, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld. “The recent Las Vegas allegations are not consistent with who Mr. Kamara has shown himself to be in both his public and private life.”

The alleged attack occurred about 6:30 a.m. Saturday as Kamara, his girlfriend, his assistant and two friends were leaving Drai’s Nightclub inside The Cromwell, according to the report.

Kamara, who was questioned and arrested at Allegiant Stadium after he played in the NFL Pro Bowl, said that he punched a man who was running away, the report said. Kamara told police he thought the man had done something to someone in his group.

Police said the footage did not show the man running away, but rather being attacked by Kamara and four other men.

The victim told police that when an elevator door opened, Kamara stopped him from entering by putting his hand on the victim’s chest, the report stated. When the man pushed Kamara’s hand away, Kamara shoved him.

That is when someone in Kamara’s group punched the man in the face, causing him to stumble, police said.

Kamara then lunged at him, throwing more punches that knocked the man unconscious, police said.

When the victim was on the floor, Kamara was seen punching him three more times, police said. Three people in Kamara’s group then stomped on his face, chest and legs.

Police allege Kamara landed eight total punches.

Casino security broke up the beating and “escorted” Kamara’s group out of the property. The beating was reported to police hours later on Saturday.

At the stadium the next day, the NFL player pointed himself out in photos detectives showed him. Kamara said the man had called one of his friends “ugly,” and that he had said that he was going to beat someone up.

“Kamara doesn’t remember if he punched (the victim) while he was on the ground,” police wrote in the arrest report.

Police redacted the names of Kamara’s two friends in the report. Additional arrests have not been announced.

The victim was “shaken up and in pain” when police interviewed him at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

The victim did not name Kamara, but police used the surveillance footage, social media, casino records, eyewitnesses and an online search of photos from the Pro Bowl to identify him, police said.

Asked about the timeline of the investigation and why Kamara was not arrested prior to the game, police cited delayed reporting.

It took about 10 hours to report the beating because the victim was receiving medical care, police wrote in a statement.

“It was known that he would be participating in the Pro Bowl and (Kamara) was interviewed at Allegiant Stadium after the game,” the statement said.

Kamara bailed out of the Clark County Detention Center on Sunday night, and is due in court March 8, Las Vegas Justice Court records show.

He is facing one felony count of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm.

Kamara played in the Pro Bowl and had four catches for 23 yards.

NFL officials said the league was aware of the arrest, but declined to comment.

Caesars Entertainment, which owns The Cromwell, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Kamara has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his five NFL seasons and eclipsed 1,300 scrimmage yards all five years he’s been in the league.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow @rickytwrites on Twitter. Reporter Glenn Puit contributed to this story.