SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — >> Editor's note: The following article contains graphic language. Reader discretion is advised.
A former Arizona Coyotes player threatened to kill police officer's families several times during his arrest in July.
Newly released body camera footage taken by responding Scottsdale Police officers show the interaction they had with Alex Galchenyuk after he and his dad were pulled over by officers.
Sitting in the passenger seat was Galchenyuk. Video shows part of his face was covered in blood when officers arrived. Scottsdale police said Galchenyuk was heavily impaired.
Video taken by one of the officers shows the conversation between the two. Galchenyuk asked how long the officer was on the force. After he said eight years, Galchenyuk responded with, “You understand I’ll chop all of you ****, right?”
“What did you say?” The officer then asked.
“You heard me," Galchenyuk said.
Video then shows the professional hockey player reach under his seat for, leading to the officer to call for back-up and pull Galchenyuk from the car. Once on the ground Galchenyuk continued to make threats. He said he would chop up the officers.
After getting handcuffed and placed in the cruiser, the threats and racial slurs against an African-American officer continued.
“One phone call and you're dead," Galchenyuk said in the video. "Your whole **** bloodline is dead.”
At one point the suspect asked to be dropped off. When the officer's said what would happen if they didn't do that, Galchenyk said, “All your **** kids all your **** wives all your **** daughters will **** die. I’ll make sure of that.”
This all started when police responded to a call near Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard. Witnesses report Galchenyuk while driving, crashed into a parking lot sign and then a parked car. According to the police report Witnesses told police Galchenyuk was then seen lying on the ground when another man, who was later identified by police as Galchenyuk's father picked him up, got him in the car, then drove off.
Galchenyuk was arrested on charges of private property hit-and-run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest and threatening or intimidating, police said.
Scottsdale police said he later pleaded guilty to one count of threatening and the other charges were dismissed. He was ordered to spend two days in jail, complete an alcohol treatment program in exchange for not getting more jail time, and pay a fine of $563.
Galchenyuk apologized to the Coyotes, their fans and the police officers for his “despicable and disrespectful behavior” in his letter, saying he was checking himself into the player assistance program.
“I am doing this to get the help I need and hope to never make a mistake like this again,” he wrote.
The Coyotes signed Galchenyuk to a one-year, $775,000 contract on July 1 for his third stint with the team. Following his arrest, the Coyotes put Galchenyuk on unconditional waivers and terminated his contract the next day.
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