Ex-NFL star hailed for saving a life in YMCA assault case

Braylon Edwards stopped the beating of 80-year-old man.

By Des Bieler

A Detroit-area police chief credited former NFL player Braylon Edwards for helping save the life of an 80-yearold man allegedly attacked in a YMCA locker room.

The incident, which occurred Friday morning in Farmington Hills, Michigan, led to the arrest of a 20-year-old man who was said to have fled the YMCA after Edwards’ intervention. The man, identified as Malik Ali Smith, was charged Monday with assault with intent to murder.

In an interview with Detroit station WDIV, Edwards said that when he walked into the locker room, he “heard some noise about four rows behind me, arguing about music, someone playing some music too loud.” The 41-year-old former wide receiver said he initially paid little attention to the apparent altercation until it got more violent.

“The noise escalates, and then you can hear some pushing and shoving — you know what fighting sounds like — start to hear some tussling, start to hear some fists,” Edwards said. “But once I heard a thud, that’s what got me up. That’s what got me to turn around.”

Edwards told the station he saw the alleged assailant “grab the back of the victim’s head by the hair, and he was about to slam it down on the counter.” The former University of Michigan star said he then moved in and “subdued” the younger man.

Police said Monday that the victim, who was not identified by police, was in critical but stable condition at a hospital.

“As evidenced by the significant injuries inflicted on the victim, it is clear that Mr. Braylon Edwards’ intervention played a pivotal role in saving the victim’s life,” Farmington Hills Police Chief

Jeff King said in a statement. “This is a horrific incident, but the selfless efforts made by Mr. Edwards embody the best in our society.”

The Oakland County prosecuting attorney’s office said Smith was arraigned Saturday and remained in the county jail Monday after having bail set at $250,000. Police said a not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf. If convicted of the felony charge, he could face up to life in prison.

An attorney for Smith told the Detroit News: “It’s being reported that my client is a violent person, and that’s simply not the case. He is a young man, and he has a history of mental health issues.”

“This was a vicious, senseless attack,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement. “I commend the witness who intervened, and we will seek justice for this victim.”

In a news release Friday from Farmington police that did not identify Edwards, he was described as a “good

Samaritan” who took action to “stop the suspect in the midst of a vicious assault.”

Michigan’s all-time leader in catches (252), receiving yards (3,541) and receiving touchdowns (39), Edwards was selected third overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2005 NFL draft. Traded to the Jets midway through the 2009 season, he helped New York reach back-to-back AFC championship games.

Edwards signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and played with the Seattle Seahawks the following season before briefly returning to the Jets to end his NFL career. The 2007 Pro Bowl selection finished with 359 catches for 5,522 yards and 40 touchdowns.

A Detroit native, Edwards is spending his retirement as a resident of West Bloomfield Township. Regarding what has been hailed as a lifesaving intervention, he said “that’s what you do.”

Edwards said on social media, “I just did what was right, much like a lot of other good people in this world.”

AP FILE Former wide receiver Braylon Edwards, here with the Jets in 2013, was quick to react and stop the brutal beating of an elderly man by a 20-year-old man on Friday in the locker room of a suburban Detroit YMCA. “That’s what you do,” said Edwards, who is 41. “I just did what was right, much like a lot of other good people in this world.”