Leaked police audio has shed new light on the incident that saw former NFL star Mark Sanchez stabbed – and then arrested – in Indianapolis.
The 38-year-old was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries on Saturday morning after allegedly being stabbed during a dispute with a food delivery driver – said to be 69 years old – at around 12:30am. Fox Sports later said Sanchez was in stable condition.
But, in a remarkable twist, it was revealed that Sanchez had been detained at the hospital on suspicion of battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.
On Saturday night, TMZ obtained dispatch audio that lifted the lid on the cops’ desperate attempts to make sense of the situation.
In the clip, officers can be heard searching for surveillance cameras of the scene. They also confirm a person had been stabbed and that another medic and a marked car are required.
The incident is said to have happened near Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery in Indianapolis and cops can be heard asking for a bar to be ‘locked down’.
Leaked police audio has shed new light on the incident that saw Mark Sanchez stabbed
Sanchez, who is married to actress Perry Mattfield, was later arrested while in the hospital
He was reportedly stabbed in the chest during a dispute with a food delivery driver at Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery in downtown Indianapolis (pictured)
‘Treat it as a crime scene, we don’t want anybody in or out for now,’ one officer is heard saying.
Cops also confirmed that one person was in custody and that the ‘patient’ – believed to be Sanchez – is ‘critical right now.’
Officers later discussed a nearby alleyway connected to the incident which needed to be ‘locked down,’ too. ‘They have good cameras of this alley, allegedly,’ one said.
Following Sanchez’s arrest, cops said the 38-year-old is still in the hospital and has not yet been booked into jail.
The former Jets quarterback was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s NFL game between the Colts and Raiders for Fox. The Daily Mail reached out to the network for comment.
Police initially said that one of the men in the incident – now known to be Sanchez – was left with injuries ‘consistent with’ stab wounds, while the other man was allegedly hospitalized as well with ‘significant injuries’, FOX59/CBS4 reported.
Citing a police report, FOX59 anchor Angela Ganote reported that the alleged victim informed cops that he was delivering food when the Fox Sports commentator told him he needed to move his vehicle and couldn’t park where he was.
Sanchez is accused of threatening, following and attacking the man, who tried – and failed – to pepper spray him. He claimed it was at that time that he defended himself with a knife.
Officers noted that the alleged victim had a significant injury to his face, Ganote added.
Mark and his wife Perry have twins together, while he also has an eight-year-old son, Daniel (center), from a previous relationship
The quarterback was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s NFL game between the Colts and Raiders
In response to the events, Chief Chris Bailey of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said: ‘Proud of our IMPD officers and detectives who stayed focused on our mission and not the noise.
‘Their professionalism represents the best of our department. IMPD will continue to be a steady, reliable presence in our city because our community deserves nothing less.’
Fox Sports PR also said Saturday in a statement: ‘Mark Sanchez was injured in Indianapolis on Saturday and is currently recovering in the hospital in stable condition. We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.’
Following news of his arrest, Front Office Sports reported that Sanchez would be replaced on the Colts-Raiders broadcast by Brady Quinn.
Sanchez is married to American actress Perry Mattfeld, and the couple have two children together after Perry gave birth to twins in March. Sanchez also has an eight-year-old son, Daniel, from one of his previous relationships.
The former quarterback played 10 seasons in the NFL, including four with the Jets after they selected him with the fifth overall pick in 2009.
He later spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, the then-Washington Redskins and the Chicago Bears as a backup.