Torii Hunter Police Incident: Angels Star Must Show ID After Alarm At Home

Torii Hunter #48 of the Los Angeles Angels poses during spring training photo day on February 29, 2012.

While Major League Baseball was celebrating the start of the regular season down in Miami on Wednesday night with scantily clad women and Muhammad Ali, one of the game's veteran stars was facing a tense situation where police drew their guns on the other side of the country.

Shortly before the Marlins and Cardinals began their "Opening Night" tilt, Los Angeles Angels All-Star Torii Hunter tweeted about a run-in with police at his home.

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

My alarm went off in my house while I was in it. 20mins later I saw cops checking out the scene. Went outside and they drew there guns on me

April 4, 2012 10:21 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

They didn't believe I lived here in Newport coast so they walked me upstairs at gunpoint to get my ID.

April 4, 2012 10:25 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

When I showed him my ID, he said I'm an angel fan hope u guys have a great season. ARE U KIDDING ME!!!!!! Lol

April 4, 2012 10:27 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

Among Hunter's nearly 57,000 followers who saw the string of tweets was Angels teammate C.J. Wilson, who tweeted back with his thoughts on the situation.

@str8edgeracer
C.J. Wilson

@toriihunter48 that's racist!

April 4, 2012 10:55 pm via web Reply Retweet Favorite

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

@str8edgeracer lol... Now u know I can't say that.

April 4, 2012 11:02 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

Not only was Hunter not making any claims about what may have motivated police to request to see his identification, the 9-time Gold Glove Award winner was tweeting positive things about his security system and local law enforcement.

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

My security system really works twitterland!!!!

April 4, 2012 10:34 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

The police departmen did a great job of protecting my home. Thanks guys!

April 4, 2012 10:39 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

To further clarify what took place when the police arrived at his home, Hunter returned to Twitter about an hour after the initial tweets.

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

Hey Twitterland! I'm not upset that the cops did their job today. I'm actually glad they were protecting home.

April 4, 2012 11:58 pm via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

It was my fault that the alarm went off anyways. I just thought it was cool to let u guys know my awkward moment for today.

April 5, 2012 12:02 am via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

The cops that were here today had there guns drawn but pointed downward in for safety. Those guys handled the situation like trained cops.

April 5, 2012 12:17 am via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

UPDATE: 11:00 p.m.: Hunter returned to Twitter again on Wednesday evening with yet another attempt to downplay the situation with the police at his home.

@toriihunter48
Torii Hunter

Gunpoint might have been a little extreme. Just guns drawn pointing down.

April 5, 2012 1:08 am via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

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Comments

[Vic Stafford]

10:26 AM on 04/09/2012

I have had similar experiences. Mr. Hunter's mistake was that he was "unrecognizable" out of his uniform and off the baseball field! I bet if he had his baseball uniform on at home those cops would have asked for an autograph!

[DeliciousBushMu]

09:05 AM on 04/09/2012

You want to protest their racist attitude or praise them for it. Pick one SUCKER

[cre8ive]

02:22 PM on 04/08/2012

If I'm a "fan" of yours, I know what you look like. You wouldn't have to go upstairs and get ID.

[agrue6]

11:42 AM on 04/08/2012

Come back to Minnesota Torii, that won't be a problem here!

[BigHound1]

11:40 PM on 04/05/2012

They just didn't think that Mr. Hunter lived there. I do hope that I'm not approached with guns drawn if my alarm goes off. Thanks goodness this was a good cop who loved the Angels!!! If it would have been a bad cop, Mr. Hunter just might be recouperating from gunshot wounds or a taser treatment or something. How often does it happen? Quite often!!!

[RusStyles]

08:06 PM on 04/05/2012

Requesting his ID was appropriate. But pulling out guns and aiming at him while walking up the stairs was overkill. I've tripped my alarm and the when the police arrived, they did not draw their weapons...They confirmed that I was the homeowner and went on their way. Why they did so in this case, well...I doubt if he was white they would handled like that...I was visiting a doctor friend one day and somehow his cat tripped the alarm and couldn't recall his security password...Cops arrived, he stated his name and explained what happened, cops left without checking his ID. Admittedly, my friend looks like a professional. If he was white, but had tattoos, long hair and missing teeth....well, they might have drawn....

[Megandale]

06:39 PM on 04/05/2012

Is there anyone on this site who is an actual law enforcement professional? I would love to have a person educated on the subject comment on this. I'm not law enforcement, but I think asking someone for ID when an alarm goes off is completely appropriate, and something that would be done with any person regardless of race. If someone reads this and fits the bill, please settle this debate!

[SofubiShogun]

08:27 PM on 04/05/2012

Last I checked pointing a deadly weapon at a person is not part of asking them a question. I have been asked for my I.D. in similar situations but never at gun point.

[kiddub]

09:00 PM on 04/05/2012

You should check the update.

[cpvon]

04:55 PM on 04/05/2012

This is just wrong. The police are lucky Torii is a nice guy. Those cops should be banned from all Angel games! Ok at least put those cops' names out there so the community can keep an eye on them.

[ken mcgriff]

02:17 PM on 04/05/2012

Some Angel fans those cops must have been. They didn't even recognize one of the few African American players in the league much less one of the stars of their team.

[Razpooten]

01:14 PM on 04/05/2012

I'm sure the cops were all too glad to be there guns drawn. But a simple phone call with authenticating pasword or pin would've prevented a potential shooting. All it take is one cop to claim he made a threatening move to shoot him.

[Razpooten]

01:13 PM on 04/05/2012

A phone call with authenticating password would've prevented a potential shooting.

[Carl Richard Jr]

01:11 PM on 04/05/2012

"It appears this n****r broke in and hung up pictures of himself everywhere... Anyway, sprinkle some crack on him, and lets get out of here."

-Dave Chappelle

[RationalDubSteppa]

01:32 PM on 04/05/2012

LMAO!!!

[jamaicalover]

10:51 AM on 04/09/2012

LMAO! Love Dave Chappelle.

[tqcobb]

12:50 PM on 04/05/2012

Torii always been a class act BUT I just wonder if the gun-toting would have been done to a white person...just asking...and before you whites start going ballistic there is a REAL problem in this society with over-zealous police tactics against black people

[Sad But True]

01:14 PM on 04/05/2012

The had drawn their guns before reaching the house (according to his words) and discovering that a black man was inside. So...yes.

[eskeeemo]

12:12 PM on 04/05/2012

They were doing their job. And good for Torii for NOT catering to the racist talk on his Twitter page!

[MaryfromIL]

01:29 PM on 04/05/2012

talking about racism isn't racist

[iuriggs6]

11:59 AM on 04/05/2012

Sounds to me like the cops did a good job.

[RationalDubSteppa]

01:34 PM on 04/05/2012

Well at least your honest about your racism... lemme guess your a conservative (probably a christian too).

[iuriggs6]

03:41 PM on 04/05/2012

Sorry to burst your bubble. I'm not conservative and have not been to church in over 20 years and shock of shocks, I married outside my race.

What did the cops do that was wrong? Is it because they had guns drawn (pointed at the ground)? IS it because they questioned who he was? Didn't recognize him (maybe they are all Dodgers fans)? The cops responded to an alarm and made sure the person they found was the home owner. I would expect them to do the same to me if I was in that position.