Scottie Scheffler's Louisville Arrest: Police Officers Violated Body Camera Policy

An investigation has found that three Louisville Metro Police officers failed to turn on their body cameras during Scottie Scheffler's May arrest, violating department policy. The probe revealed that detectives Bryan Gillis, Kelvin Watkins, and Officer Javar Downs were in the area at the time of the incident and neglected to activate their cameras.

In late May, charges against Scottie Scheffler, the world's No. 1 golfer, were dismissed. The arrest had occurred on May 17 outside the Valhalla Golf Club in the hours leading up to the second round of the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.

A subsequent investigation revealed that three Louisville Metro Police officers present at the time of Scheffler's arrest had violated police policy by not activating their body cameras. The probe determined that detectives Bryan Gillis and Kelvin Watkins, along with Officer Javar Downs, failed to follow proper protocol by neglecting to have their cameras running.

A 63-page document obtained by WDRB of Louisville contained pictures and an investigative file detailing the officers' actions. The document showed that Detective Gillis had received "corrective action" after an internal investigation found he had not followed proper protocols in leaving his body camera turned off.

"Detective Gillis should have turned on his body-worn camera but did not. His failure to do so is a violation of the LMPD policy on uniforms and equipment, subject category body worn camera," Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel stated.

Scheffler, 27 at the time of his arrest, faced four charges, including felony assault over injuries sustained by an LMPD officer during the encounter. Gillis had previously claimed he was dragged by the vehicle driven by Scheffler. An arrest report said that Scheffler was driving a credentialed PGA courtesy car when an officer alleged that Scheffler "refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging" the officer to the ground.

Gillis' body camera did capture Scheffler making a phone call from jail, in which he expressed uncertainty about Gillis' status as a police officer. "I sat there and tried to diffuse the situation, and then I was literally reaching out trying to find a police officer, not knowing he was one," Scheffler said. "It's my fault. I mean, he's wearing a uniform. He's wearing a yellow vest. I just didn't see it."

Scheffler has maintained that the incident was a "misunderstanding," an assessment echoed by Jefferson County officials. "Based upon the totality of the evidence, my office cannot move forward in the prosecution of the charges filed against Mr. Scheffler," Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell said. "Mr. Scheffler's characterization that this was 'a big misunderstanding' is corroborated by the evidence."

The incident occurred while police were investigating the death of a volunteer who was hit by a bus just outside the golf course. The PGA of America later identified the victim as 69-year-old John Mills. LMPD stated that Mills was struck by a shuttle bus around 5 a.m. near one of the golf course's entrances.

Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.