Getty William Hendon.
A Cincinnati Reds fan named William Hendon is accused of doing a backflip in front of a police officer on the field. Video captured the incident, as did dramatic photos by a Getty Images photographer, which show the moment the officer tased the fan after the backflip.
Video shows Hendon, wearing a Johnny Bench jersey, running onto the baseball field in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then doing the backflip when the officer approached him. The officer then tased him as he ran, the video shows. He ran on the field in the 9th inning and approached center fielder Tyler Freeman. Outkick reported that Hendon, who was shoeless during the escapade, has been dubbed “Billy the Backflipper” by some fans.
Andy Lyons of Getty Images photographed a series of dramatic images from the incident, which you can see throughout this article. The photos captured Hendon in mid-air doing the backflip, as well as the moment the officer tased him.
GettyA fan is tased by a police officer as he runs on the field before the ninth inning of the Cincinnati Reds against Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park on June 11, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The incident occurred Tuesday night, June 11, at Great American Ball Park, according to Local12.
GettyA fan does a flip on the field before the ninth inning of the Cincinnati Reds against Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park on June 11, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Fox News published Hendon’s name, as did local media in Cincinnati. Heavy has contacted Cincinnati police public relations for additional details.
The Reds fan who was blasted with 50k Taser volts is 19-year-old William Hendon. He’s now facing a felony for going wild last night at GABP:
Fox19 also named Hendon as the fan, saying he was identified by police in court documents that accuse him of a criminal misdemeanor.
William Hendon, Who Is an Ohio State Student, Was Told by the Judge, ‘You’re a Star This Week,’ Reports Say
The judge told the fan “Everybody thinks you landed the backflip.” He replied, “Pretty sure I did.”
That fan is banned from Great American Ball Park – for now.
According to Local12, the judge told Hendon, who has already appeared in court, “You’re a star this week, you’ve got your 15 minutes of fame.”
The television station reported that Hendon is an Ohio State student from Cleves. Judge William Mallory told Hendon, according to Local12, “Everybody thinks you landed the backflip,” to which Hendon replied, “Pretty sure I did.”
GettyThe moment the fan ran on the field.
According to Local 12, a felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor in court but Hendon was banned from returning to the stadium.
“Most exciting thing to happen tonight,” a fan wrote on X, sharing the video.
“I’ve never seen a fan on the field get tased in the 17 years I’ve worked online. What a content moment,” Outkick Senior Editor Joe Kinsey wrote on X.
William Hendon Has Pleaded Not Guilty, Reports Say
These photos of the fan who ran onto the field during Reds-Guardians game 😳
He did a backflip before being tased by police
(📸: Andy Lyons)
Cincinnati.com reported that Hendon pleaded not guilty.
The newspaper noted that Sylvia Sieve Hendon, a retired judge from Hamilton County who was elected to the Court of Appeals, attended his hearing, although it’s unclear her relationship with Hendon.
The criminal complaint accuses Hendon of having “knowingly run onto the Reds playing field during the game without permission to do so,” the newspaper reported. Court documents also accuse Hendon of having “purposely impeded a public official’s lawful duties” and says he “did with purpose to delay his arrest run from police,” Cincinnati.com reports.
He has been released from jail, the newspaper reported, but he spent the night in the facility. Jail records confirm he is no longer in the Hamilton County Jail.