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Rio Police: Ryan Lochte Lied About Being Robbed at Gunpoint, Got Involved in Gas Station Brawl
According to a Brazilian police source, Ryan Lochte lied about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, possibly to cover up an alleged brawl at a gas station.
BREAKING: Brazil police official: Lochte fabricated robbery claim; US Olympic swimmers were in rowdy gas station confrontation.
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 18, 2016
Lochte was one of four swimmers allegedly involved in the gas station confrontation. The other swimmers, all from Team USA, are Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen.
The official, who has direct knowledge of the investigation, spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about an ongoing probe.
He said that around 6 a.m. on Sunday, Lochte, along with fellow swimmers Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen, stopped at a gas station in Barra da Tijuca, a suburb of Rio where many Olympic venues are located. One of the swimmers tried to open the door of an outside bathroom. It was locked.
The official says the guard was armed with a pistol, but he never took it out or pointed it at the swimmers.
According to the official, the gas station manager then arrived. Using a customer to translate, the manager asked the swimmers to pay for the broken door. After a discussion, they did pay him an unknown amount of money and then left.
The official says that swimmers Conger and Bentz, who were pulled off a plane going back to the United States late Wednesday, told police that the robbery story had been fabricated.
Meanwhile, Civil Police in Rio de Janeiro obtained new surveillance footage that contradicts some statements of the swimmers, investigators told BuzzFeed News.
Police told BuzzFeed News they are investigating surveillance time-logs from inside France House — where the athletes were partying — that do not appear to coincide with the timeline the athletes gave to police.
ABC news reports that “one of the swimmers was seen on CCTV footage breaking down the door to the bathroom at the gas station and fighting with a security guard.”
However, according to Reuters, CCTV footage also shows the swimmers sitting on the ground with their hands in the air.
MORE: Brazil’s Globo TV shows CCTV images from Rio gas station depicting U.S. swimmers sitting on ground with hands in air
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) August 18, 2016
PREVIOUSLY: Ryan Lochte Changes Rio Robbery Story as 3 Teammates are Held in Brazil, Questioned
Meanwhile, a local report suggests that Lochte and the other swimmers urinated on the gas station despite appeals for them to use the bathroom.
Barra gas station owner says Lochte and friends urinated all over place despite appeals to use bathroom. t.co/Q6NpPJv4ak
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) August 18, 2016
On Tuesday, security footage was released of Lochte and the other swimmers returning to the Olympic village after the incident. The individuals appear possibly inebriated and calm, considering they had been allegedly robbed at gunpoint.
On Wednesday, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were pulled off a plane leaving Rio headed for the US as police wanted to question them regarding their involvement in the incident.
UPDATE. Local media organization Globo has revealed CCTV footage from the gas station in question.
One photo shows the three swimmers seated with their hands up.
Below, watch live as US swimmers are set to arrive at a police station to speak with Brazilian authorities.
The post Rio Police: Ryan Lochte Lied About Being Robbed at Gunpoint, Got Involved in Gas Station Brawl appeared first on Towleroad.
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