CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon wasn't charged with aggravated menacing just one day after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Municipal Court Judge Curt Kissinger signed off on the city prosecutor office's motion for dismissal of the probable cause and arrest warrant Friday.
"We're requesting dismissal because we need additional investigation before we would move forward with this case," the city prosecutor's office said in court Friday.
Peter Schaffer, Mixon's agent, had previously said in a statement that the charge was going to be dropped.
Schaffer released this statement to WCPO: "It was a rush to judgment. They're dropping the charges first thing in the morning. I really feel that police have an obligation before they file charges — because of the damage that can be done to the person's reputation — to do their work. They should be held to a higher standard. Because I don't play with people's lives."
The arrest warrant was issued for Mixon Thursday. According to the affidavit, Mixon pointed a firearm at a woman and stated, "You should be popped in the face. I should shoot you, the police can' (sic) get me."
Cincinnati police released a statement Friday evening saying Mixon's case involved a "high-profile individual," and the case's investigator was supposed to "submit the case for a cursory review before any possible charge was filed."
Police said that directive was not followed by the investigator, and it has been reassigned.
Friday's dismissal of the criminal charge against Mixon allows for continued investigation by police into the alleged offense.
The city prosecutor's office said Friday that the alleged victim would like to go forward with the charge if the city decides to refile it at a later date.
The offense allegedly happened the day before Cincinnati took on the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs.
In a statement, the Bengals said, "The club is aware misdemeanor charges have been raised against Joe Mixon. The club is investigating the situation and will not comment further at this time."
The alleged events happened on Jan. 21 — The day before the #Bengals’ win over the Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs.
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) February 3, 2023
Mixon had 105 rush yds & a TD in that game… One of his best games of the season.
Jan. 21 is the same day the Bengals left Cincinnati for Buffalo.
This is not Mixon's first misdemeanor charge. When he was in college, Mixon pleaded guilty to an assault charge in 2014 for punching a woman, breaking bones in her face. He was suspended for an entire season following the assault charge.
The 26-year-old just wrapped up his sixth season in Cincinnati. He was an offensive captain for the Bengals and became the first NFL player with 150-plus yards and four or more touchdowns from scrimmage in the first half of a game since 2002 in the team's season-changing win over the Carolina Panthers in November.
If the Bengals choose to cut Mixon before June 1, it would free up $7.2 million of cap space. After June 1, it would be $10 million.
WCPO will update this story with more information when it is available.
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Editor's note: An earlier version of this story erroneously reported that this was a Hamilton County case.
