Omaha is still reeling after a tense late night encounter between police and boxing champion Terence “Bud” Crawford. Just hours after being celebrated with a parade and birthday festivities in his honor, Crawford was pulled over in downtown Omaha and held at gunpoint during a traffic stop. The incident quickly went viral and sparked outrage, forcing Omaha Mayor John Ewing to publicly respond.
Mayor Ewing did not hold back in his statement, admitting that he was shaken when he first learned of the incident. He said he personally spoke with Crawford and stressed that what happened was serious and damaging to the fragile trust between the community and law enforcement.
“I learned Omaha police pulled over Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford on a traffic stop downtown early this morning. After learning of this, I spoke personally to Bud Crawford. I acknowledge the seriousness of what occurred and how trust between law enforcement and our community is important and shows the need to be continuously vigilant about building relationships. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer has pledged an internal investigation, which I support and want to be full and thorough. We will gather all the facts and be transparent with the public about our findings. Understand that my heart dropped in learning of this end to an otherwise wonderful day and evening celebrating our city’s world boxing champion. We held a great parade and great event at Heartland of America park. The evening birthday party at Steelhouse, which I and members of my team attended, was a showing of joy and pride. Omaha needs to remember this important day as a good one while we seek answers to how it ended.”
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According to police reports, Crawford’s vehicle was stopped around 1:30 in the morning for reckless driving. Officers say they noticed a firearm on the driver’s side floorboard and ordered everyone inside the vehicle to exit while pointing their weapons. Video of the incident shows Crawford complying with the officers, raising his hands and telling them he was not reaching for a gun. Police later confirmed that all occupants of the car, including a member of Crawford’s security team who was carrying a firearm, were legally permitted to do so. Crawford was ultimately cited for reckless driving but was not charged with any weapons offenses.
The incident was especially jarring given that it unfolded the same day Crawford was being honored for his historic boxing victory over Canelo Alvarez. Thousands of fans had gathered to celebrate him, making the sudden turn of events feel even more shocking to the city. What began as a day of joy and pride for Omaha ended with the champion being ordered out of his vehicle at gunpoint.
Mayor Ewing has made it clear that he supports a full internal affairs review of the stop and promised transparency once the facts are collected. He emphasized that every resident of Omaha, no matter who they are, deserves to feel safe and respected in encounters with law enforcement. His words, along with the viral video, have only increased pressure on the police department to explain what happened and whether officers acted appropriately.
