New Orleans police issued an arrest warrant for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on a complaint of simple battery Thursday.
Video appears to show Beckham slapping the backside of a police officer while in the LSU locker room at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The incident occurred shortly after the Tigers' 42-25 victory over Clemson on Monday night in the national championship game.
The officer turned around and addressed Beckham in the video, but the wideout was not arrested at that time.
The officer then filed the complaint on the 27-year-old Beckham, New Orleans police department public affairs officer Juan Barnes confirmed to ESPN.
Louisiana law defines simple battery as "battery committed without the consent of the victim." That crime, upon conviction, calls for as many as six months in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000. It also is expungeable for first-time offenders.
"We are aware of the incident and have been in touch with Odell and his representatives on the matter," the Browns said in a statement on Thursday. "They are cooperating with the proper authorities to appropriately address the situation."
Beckham, a New Orleans native, played at LSU before being selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Browns last March.
--Field Level Media