Richie Incognito has been placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold after he threw a dumbbell at a man at his gym and said the government was trying to get him.
Incognito, 34, was removed from the upscale Life Time Gym in Boca Raton, Florida on Wednesday morning following the altercation.
His troubles come just a month after the former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman said he was retiring from the NFL due to liver and kidney problems.
The man who was attacked by Incognito, named Mark, said they were both working out in the gym’s outdoor turf area when he ‘immediately noticed something was off’.
Richie Incognito was handcuffed and has been placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold after he threw a dumbbell at a man at his gym and said the government was trying to get him
Incognito, 34, was removed from the upscale Life Time Gym in Boca Raton, Florida on Wednesday morning following the altercation
Mark, who did not recognize Incognito at the time, said he had ‘seemed upset’ and was only doing each workout for five to six seconds.
‘He then went to the boxing mannequin and tore it off its pedestal and threw it on the ground in a wrestling move and sat on its face,’ Mark recalled to TMZ.
‘I was just like, “this isn’t right.”‘
As Mark began to run around the area for his workout, he said Incognito began to repeatedly cut him off.
‘I didn’t know what was happening, and the next thing I know I’m getting nailed by a tennis ball,’ he said.
‘Then he went to the sled I had put together to push down the field and he took it and tried to run me over with it and said “Get the f**k off my playground”‘.
His troubles come just a month after the former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman (pictured in December) said he was retiring from the NFL due to liver and kidney problems
The weighted sled skimmed Mark’s leg, he told police. Incognito then threw a dumbbell into the pool.
Mark said he told Incognito, ‘Dude, I don’t know what’s your problem’ and tried to get away from him.
‘That’s when he started cutting me off again and he picked up a dumbbell and threw it at me,’ he said.
Mark began to call 911 and Incognito started yelling at him, ‘Who you calling? Are you with the f*****g government?’, he recalled.
Police who arrived at the scene told Mark that they would be taking Incognito to the hospital and mentioned that he was saying the ‘government was after him’.
‘I just want him to get help,’ Mark said. ‘Obviously he was not doing well this morning and took it out on me a little bit.’
‘I’m thankful I didn’t get hurt. He could have done serious damage to me physically, he did not, so I’m blessed. I would just love to see him get healthy.’
Sources also told TMZ that Incognito had been acting strange at the gym the previous day, but did not become violent.
Those close to Incognito said they have been trying to get him professional help for months
But several people close to the former NFL player said they have been trying to get him professional help for months.
Incognito was officially taken into custody under the state’s Baker Act, which allows for involuntary psychiatric commitment when individuals become dangerous to others or themselves.
Many were shocked when Incognito announced his retirement from the Bills in April after 11 seasons in the NFL.
Just a month beforehand, Incognito and his team had agreed to a renegotiated contract.
Incognito was previously put on involuntary psychiatric hold in 2014 after he was reportedly on the verge of a breakdown following the Jonathan Martin bullying scandal, according to TMZ.
Many were shocked when Incognito (pictured in 2017) announced his retirement from the Bills in April after 11 seasons in the NFL
The Miami Dolphins made national headlines off the field after it was revealed that players Incognito, Mike Pouncey, and John Jerry were intensely bullying Martin.
An NFL investigation revealed that the trio had been calling Martin offensive names, made repeated jokes about having sex with his sister, and made racial taunts at their Japanese trainer.
Incognito was suspended and eventually dropped from the Dolphins. He was out of the league for 18 months before the Bills signed him to a one-year contract.
Earlier this week the Bills released him from their reserved/retired list, which would allow him to play for another team.
Incognito was previously put on involuntary psychiatric hold in 2014 after he was reportedly on the verge of a breakdown following the Jonathan Martin bullying scandal