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Fan sues Bradley Beal, alleges assault in postgame betting encounter

Wizards guard Bradley Beal is being sued after an incident following a loss at Orlando on March 21. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
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A fan is suing Bradley Beal, the Washington Wizards and Monumental Sports & Entertainment after a postgame incident in Orlando in March, alleging battery and assault and asking for damages exceeding $50,000.

Plaintiff Kyler Briffa, of Orange County, Fla., filed the suit Tuesday. It alleges that after the Wizards lost to the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on March 21, Beal was heading to the locker room when he turned and reacted to a comment made by a friend of Briffa’s about losing a bet. The suit alleges Beal “knowingly and intentionally struck the Plaintiff’s head,” knocking his hat off. According to reported details of the encounter, Briffa’s friend said, “You made me lose $1,300, you f---!”

Bradley Beal under police investigation in Orlando after fan incident

To get to the locker room at Amway Center, visiting players walk down a corridor that fans also have access to. Fans and players are separated by a waist-high divider, and security is typically present.

The suit alleges that, during the incident, Beal said to Briffa: “When you disrespect me, I’m going to press you about it. Do you think this is a joke? Do you think this is a joke? Do you think this is a joke? Do you think this is a joke … because when I press you about it, what are we doing? What are we doing? What are we doing?”

Orlando police were investigating Beal on a battery allegation after a police report was filed March 22. No charges have been filed.

A Wizards spokesperson declined to comment Wednesday.

Beal said during his end-of-season news conference April 10 that he has noticed fans directing gambling-related ire at players more often as sports betting becomes more widespread.

“It’s been a little bit more developing, ongoing nastiness in the last few years with the sports gambling stuff,” Beal said. “Granted, I understand. I go to casinos, I gamble, I understand that. But I also understand that’s probably a 99 percent chance I’m going to lose. … So I’m not sitting here about to get angry at the dealer, angry at everybody else.”

Asked about the incident, Beal said he couldn’t say much.

“It’s fans. It’s interactions. I don’t have any problems with fans and what they say and how they interact; it’s just — don’t get disrespectful and say things you probably wouldn’t say to me if I was just walking down the street,” he said. “That’s it; that’s all. There’s nothing more than that.”

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