Dez Bryant cited for minor offense after Southlake parking lot scuffle

Dez Bryant, the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, was cited for a Class C misdemeanor on Sunday for an incident that began with a traffic dispute.

The confrontation took place in Southlake on October 25, involving Bryant and two 19-year-old men named Noah Reyes and Terrance Avery. Police were called to a commercial parking lot on the 2200 block of FM 1709 after reports of a fight.

According to Bryant, the incident started near Kimball Avenue when another driver cut him off. Both vehicles moved to the nearby parking area, where the argument escalated into physical contact. Bryant told the media outlet OutKick that the two young men cut him off in traffic and that one threatened to shoot him.

Reyes and Avery offered a different account to NBC 5. They said they were leaving a church service and heading to a restaurant. Reyes described noticing Bryant in a nearby vehicle while Avery was honking his horn as a joke. Reyes stated, “I look to my right, look back again, double check and I’m like, whoa that’s Dez Bryant.”

The two men denied cutting Bryant off or driving recklessly. Avery said he tried to de-escalate the situation once Bryant exited his truck in the parking lot. Avery told NBC 5, “I didn’t even get into an argument with him. The whole time I was talking to him, I was trying to cool it down and get him to calm down. But he was full on out of it.”

A video provided to NBC 5 shows Bryant yelling at Reyes before swatting his hand, causing Reyes to drop his phone. The young men said Bryant then picked up the phone and threw it on the ground. Reyes described feeling intimidated during the encounter. “I’m 19, I’m a kid. Why is he getting on me?” Reyes said.

Southlake police officers arrived at the scene around 12:59 p.m. Several callers mentioned a possible weapon, so officers drew their guns as a precaution. No firearms were found at the location. Multiple individuals were temporarily detained while officers investigated. Avery described the scene as terrifying, particularly because of the visible police weapons. “The whole situation was scary. I was scared for my life because of this guy, and also scared of getting shot by a cop, you know?” Avery said.

Bryant, who is 37 years old, was released on scene after receiving the citation for assault by physical contact. Reyes added that the entire experience was chaotic. “The whole moment was crazy,” Reyes said. Bryant has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the young men's version of events.