Report: Sheriff's deputy Drops Suit against Masai Ujiri After Shoving Incident

The lawsuit filed by a California sheriff's deputy following an altercation with Raptors president Masai Ujiri during the 2019 NBA Finals has reportedly been dropped

SI Staff | Feb 10, 2021

Report: Sheriff's deputy Drops Suit against Masai Ujiri After Shoving Incident /

The lawsuit filed by the Alameda County sheriff's deputy who was seen shoving Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri during the Raptors 2019 championship celebration, was dropped Wednesday afternoon, Lisa Fernandez of FOX WTVU reported.

Lawyers for the sheriff's deputy Alan Strickland and his wife filed for dismissal Wednesday in a California district court. It ended nearly two years of legal battles against Ujiri alleging that the Raptors president had assaulted Strickland who was acting as security during Game 6 of the 2020 NBA Finals.

"Masai has been completely vindicated, as we always knew he would be," a spokesperson for Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment wrote in a statement to WTVU. "We are disappointed that he and his family have had to endure the past 18 months of worry and uncertainty, but for their sake we are pleased the legal process has come to an end – and especially pleased that the claims made against Masai and MLSE were dismissed entirely, free of any financial settlement. We continue to be deeply troubled by the fact that Masai was put in this position in the first place, and believe he should never have had to defend himself. Masai is taking some time to process the ordeal, and intends to address it publicly at a later date."

Ujiri's lawyers have reportedly dropped their countersuit against Strickland, according to Fernandez.

Strickland has reportedly returned to work and has been assigned to administrative duties, Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman Ray Kelly told WTVU.

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