Man seen in viral APD arrest video, speaks out

AUSTIN, Texas - Justin Grant is the man seen on the ground in a video seen by thousands.

He appears to be being punched in the face, by an Austin police officer. Grant says he and his wife had gone to downtown Austin for a night out last Tuesday. They ended up at a 4th Street bar.

“I stepped out of the bar for like a split second to go smoke a cigarette and I tried to go back in, the bouncer was like ‘oh we are at max capacity,’” said Grant.

Robert Mueller, Grant’s attorney said he left immediately.

“As he was walking down the street, his wife emerged from the bar that she was in and he saw her and he was very excited to see her. His wife saw him and the police officers pursuing him from behind,” said Mueller.

Grant says at that point, officers tackled and tasered him. APD said he threatened a nightclub employee.

“No I never threatened anybody,” said Grant.

“He did in fact reach for his knife as the officers got there and were able to get their hands on him,” said Manley on Thursday, July 5.

Grant says he was beaten for no reason.

“As you can tell, his body is limp, he is a rag doll, his muscles are not working at this moment,” said Mueller, describing the arrest video.

As for the moments leading up to and during the confrontation, body camera footage would have that.

“Both of these officers were wearing body worn cameras however, on one of the officers, it was knocked off of his uniform as soon as the struggle began and during the struggle the other the officer’s camera stopped recording,” said Manley on Thursday.

“For both of them to malfunction, that seems unusual,” said Mueller.

Grant is facing charges of resisting arrest, making a terroristic threat, and possession of a controlled substance.

“The terroristic threat charge, we do not believe is justified, nor is the resisting charge, as shown by the video tape. There is no resistance there,” said Mueller.

“I was scared for my life really,” said Grant.

The Austin Police Department said the investigation is still ongoing, and did not have any updates Monday afternoon. Grant and his wife, who was also arrested, are out on bond.