Rapper and entertainment mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs was arrested and charged with assault after an altercation with a UCLA assistant football coach after watching the team’s practice Monday afternoon, the university said in a statement.
Combs was taken into custody by campus police. His son, Justin Combs, is a member of the UCLA football team.
According to the university’s statement, the elder Combs was arrested by UCLA police at the school’s Acosta Athletic Training Complex and charged with three counts of felony assault with a deadly weapon, which was a kettlebell (a cast-iron or steel weight with a handle). He was also charged with making terrorist threats and battery.
The coach, Sal Alosi, was not seriously injured, the university said. Alosi became infamous in 2010 for intentionally tripping a Miami Dolphins player along the sideline while he was a New York Jets coach.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Coach Was ‘Screaming’ at Diddy’s Son During the Practice
Sean “Diddy” Combs with his son, Justin Combs and his mother, Janice Combs, in 2011. (Getty)
According to the TMZ report, Diddy was taken into custody early Monday afternoon after a fight with an assistant coach at the UCLA athletic facility.
TMZ reports that the coach, Sal Alosi, was screaming at Justin Combs during a strength and conditioning session, while Diddy watched from the sideline. Diddy later confronted the coach in his office and attacked him, leading to his arrest.
Sources close to Diddy tell TMZ that he went to the campus to speak with Alosi, but the coach wouldn’t see him. Diddy went to Alosi’s office anyway and the coach threatened to call security if he didn’t leave. Diddy said he’d call police himself, and TMZ sources say Alosi snapped, attacking Diddy, who used the kettlebell in self-defense.
But UCLA sources tell a different story, saying to TMZ that Alosi was on the phone when he was confronted by Diddy. He told Diddy to “hang on,” TMZ reports, but Diddy didn’t want to wait, picking up the kettlebell weight and swinging it at Alosi.
PHOTO: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs being transported in UCLA police cruiser after alleged assault http://t.co/YwB8wvGeHY http://t.co/LBZTweCXay
The Bruin Report Online also reported details of the incident:
…According to many on the scene, Diddy attacked Alosi, until interns and other personnel pulled off Diddy. The celebrity broke free again at one point and struck Alosi. The personnel were then successful in getting Diddy out of the office and into the weight room, where Diddy picked up a kettlebell, which is a type of barbell, and then swung it at one of the interns.
According to sources, Alosi had scratches on his face and his shirt was ripped as a result of the altercation.
“I’m thankful that our staff showed the level of professionalism that they did in handling this situation,” UCLA head football coach Jim Mora said in a statement. “This is an unfortunate incident for all parties involved. While UCPD continues to review this matter, we will let the legal process run its course and refrain from further comment at this time.”
2. Justin Combs Is a Junior Defensive Back for the Bruins
Justin Combs (UCLA Bruins)
Justin Combs, 21, is a junior defensive back for the Bruins. He has played in seven games during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, both on special teams and as a reserve on defense. He has recorded four career tackles.
Combs, a Mount Vernon, New York, native whose mother is Misa Hylton, played in high school at Iona Prep. He was ranked as a three-star recruit by ESPN.com and the number 7 prospect in New York. He was Iona Prep’s starting quarterback as a senior and was an All-State and All-American.
He is not the only son of a famous rapper on the Bruins squad. Snoop Dogg’s son, Cordell Broadus, is entering his first season at UCLA, after choosing to sign with the Bruins over several offers from top football programs.
3. Diddy Was Released From Custody After Posting Bail
Diddy with actor Michael Williams and two of his sons, including Justin Combs, left.
According to TMZ Sports, Diddy was still being held in the campus jail as of 3 p.m. A few hours later he was transported to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Inmate Reception Center later this evening,” the university said.
He then posted $160,000 bail and was released. He is due in court July 13.
4. Diddy Has Been to His Son’s Practices in the Past
Diddy, who lives in Los Angeles, has been on the sidelines to watch his son’s practice numerous times, TMZ reports.
According to TMZ, the UCLA coaches consider Diddy to be a “helicopter dad.”
5. UCLA Sparked Controversy When Diddy’s Son Received a Football Scholarship
Justin Combs is on a football scholarship at UCLA worth $54,000, which created some controversy in 2012 when he committed to the team because of his family’s wealth.
“Unlike need-based scholarships, athletic scholarships are awarded to students strictly on the basis of their athletic and academic ability — not their financial need,” the university said in a statement at the time. “Athletic scholarships, such as those awarded to football or basketball players, do not rely on state funds. Instead, these scholarships are entirely funded through UCLA Athletics ticket sales, corporate partnerships, media contracts and private donations from supporters.”
Diddy said in a statement after his son committed to the school:
As a parent, today is one of the proudest moments of my life. This is everything a father could want for his son, for him to excel at what he loves to do and is truly passionate about. Justin is a shining example of what hard work, determination and a strong mentality can achieve. I am honored to call him my son and am happy that he is fulfilling his dream.
