Vikings' Williamson catches a punch
A charity concert ended early Monday morning with Vikings receiver Troy Williamson taking a punch in the face, according to an organizer of the event.
Accounts vary about the circumstances of the incident, which occurred after the "Sharperpalooza" festival at the Myth nightclub in Maplewood. Williamson was not seriously injured and has declined to press charges, but the episode marked another negative turn to what has been a difficult second season for the former first-round draft choice.
The event, sponsored by Vikings safety Darren Sharper and headlined by hip-hop artist Ludacris, was held to benefit the United Way and the Minnesota AIDS Project.
Darren DeWalt, Sharper's marketing agent and one of the concert's planners, confirmed Williamson was hit without provocation by a Myth security guard.
Mark Naylon, head of security at the Myth, said Williamson had refused to leave at the 2 a.m. closing time and that video cameras failed to capture the exchange. Naylon said a man, presumed to be Williamson, complained of being hit but would not identify his assailant.
Vikings players had the day off Tuesday and Williamson could not be reached for comment. His agent, David Canter, referred questions to the Vikings, who declined comment. The episode came at the same time Eden Prairie police are investigating a woman's claim that an unidentified Vikings player assaulted her Nov. 21.
Williamson began the season as one of the Vikings' starting receivers, and he caught 10 passes for 179 yards in their first two games. Since then, however, Williamson unofficially has dropped an NFL-high 11 passes and has plummeted to the bottom of the depth chart.
He dropped the only pass thrown his way in Sunday's 31-26 victory over Arizona, and coach Brad Childress has not hidden his displeasure with the slump. Childress said Sunday he is carefully watching Williamson's reaction to his demotion.
"He's a first-round draft pick, the seventh pick in the [2005] draft," Childress said Monday. "You've got to be able to catch the football."
Williamson was among a large contingent of Vikings players who attended the Sharperpalooza event. According to DeWalt, Williamson was preparing to leave at about 1:30 a.m. with several friends when Myth security officials started getting rough.
"He was just trying to leave," said DeWalt, who met Tuesday with Myth management to discuss the incident. "I am very upset with the security there at the Myth. The security guards escalated the incident. There is never a time when a member of the security staff should be hitting people. This was a charity event that Darren Sharper put his heart and soul into. There was no ill intent from anyone who attended."
The Myth's security staff is comprised of members of the Ramsey County Sheriff's office but is paid by the owner of the nightclub. According to Naylon, a group of Vikings players was still sitting at the bar 20 minutes after the club's 2 a.m. closing time Monday morning.
Security officers began moving the group toward an alternate exit when tensions rose. Naylon, also the public information officer for the Ramsey County Sheriff, said: "One guy kept saying, 'I'm a pro athlete. Nobody treats me like this.' "
Naylon said he did not see any punches thrown. But once the group got outside, one player said he had been hit.
Naylon said the player would not provide his name, so he could not assume he was Williamson. "He kept saying, 'Look at my eye. Look at my face,' " Naylon said.
Security officials offered to call the sheriff's office, Naylon said. But the player said, 'No, we are out of here.' "
