A Detroit-area police chief on Monday praised former NFL player Braylon Edwards for helping save the life of an 80-year-old man who was 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 is believed to have fled the YMCA following Edwards' intervention. The man, identified as local resident Malik Ali Smith, was charged Monday with assault with intent to murder.
In an interview with Detroit station WDIV on Friday, Edwards said that when he entered the locker room, he “heard some noise four rows behind me where there was an argument about music, someone was playing music too loud.” The 41-year-old former Wide receiver said he initially paid little attention to the apparent altercation until it became increasingly violent.
“The noise escalates, and then you hear some pushing and shoving – you know what fighting sounds like – you hear some scuffling, you hear some fists,” Edwards said.
“But when I heard a thud, that was the reason I got up. That’s what made me turn back.”
Edwards told the station he saw the alleged attacker “grab the back of the victim's head by the hair and was about to slam him onto the counter.” The former University of Michigan star said he then moved in and “subdued” the younger man.
Police said Monday that the alleged victim, who police have not identified, was in critical but stable condition at a hospital.
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“Based on the significant injuries inflicted on the victim, it is clear that Mr. Braylon Edwards’ intervention played a critical role in saving the victim’s life,” Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King said in a statement. “This is a terrible incident, but Mr. Edwards’ selfless efforts embody the best in our society.”
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office said Smith was arraigned Saturday and remained in the county jail Monday after bail was set at $250,000. Police said a plea of innocence was filed on his behalf. If convicted of the felony charge, he could face life in prison.
An attorney for Smith told the Detroit News, “My client is reported to be a violent person, and that is simply not the case. He is a young man and 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.”
A Farmington police news release Friday, which did not name Edwards, described him as a “good Samaritan” who took action to “stop the suspect in the midst of a brutal attack.”
Edwards is Michigan's all-time leader in catches (252), receiving yards (3,541) and receiving yards (39) and was selected third overall in the 2005 draft by the Cleveland Browns. He moved to the Jets midway through the 2009 season and helped New York to two consecutive 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 finish his NFL career. The 2007 Pro Bowl selection finished with 359 catches for 5,522 yards and 40 touchdowns.
Edwards is a Detroit native and is retiring as a resident of West Bloomfield Township. Referring to the procedure, which has been hailed as a life-saving procedure, he said on Friday: “That's what you do.”
“At the end of the day,” Edwards said Monday on X: “I simply did the right thing, just like many other good people in this world.”