Last week, the Detroit Lions decided to part ways with defensive back Cameron Sutton.
At the time, police in Florida were searching for Sutton, who authorities said was wanted for possible domestic battery by strangulation.
But, on Tuesday, a team official attempted to provide some clarity on Sutton’s whereabouts at the time the warrant surfaced. Lions President Rod Wood told WJBK-TV that Sutton was inside the team’s practice facility in Allen Park, Michigan when the team learned that a domestic violence warrant had been issued for the cornerback.
“We learned about the warrant at the same time everybody else did on social media,” Wood told the station. “We were able to speak to Cam because he was actually in our building. We found him. He was down with our strength staff. He kind of showed up unexpectedly to work out.”
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Wood added that the team encouraged Sutton to turn himself in to police. As news of the warrant spread, the Lions soon announced that the defensive back had been released as of March 21.
At the time, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, which includes Tampa, asked for assistance in its search for Sutton.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told the Detroit Free Press a warrant was issued March 7 after it responded to a call earlier that morning about a domestic violence incident involving Sutton and an unidentified female.
“We served his warrant on the seventh because of all the evidence that we found there,” spokesperson Phil Martello told the outlet. “Couldn’t find him here in Tampa. Pretty sure he fled. We got a couple hits on his license plate (on) license plate readers but haven’t been able to track him down here, so that’s where we’re at right now.”
Domestic battery by strangulation is considered a third-degree felony and is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Sutton agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract with the Lions last offseason. He spent the previous six years of his NFL career with the Steelers.
In January, he helped the Lions reach the NFC championship game for the first time in 32 years.
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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