Terence Crawford Held at Gunpoint by Omaha Police Hours After Victory Parade
Boxing champion Terence Crawford was pulled over and held at gunpoint by Omaha police early Sunday morning, just hours after his hometown celebrated his historic victory with a parade. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on September 28, which marked Crawford’s 38th birthday.
The Traffic Stop Incident
Omaha police stopped Crawford’s vehicle near North 12th and Capitol Avenue for what they described as reckless driving. During the interaction, an officer observed a firearm on the driver’s side floorboard, prompting police to order all four occupants out of the vehicle at gunpoint.
Video footage circulating on social media captured Crawford slowly unbuckling his seatbelt, raising his hands, and complying with police commands while stating, “I’m not reaching for no gun”. Crawford was subsequently searched and briefly handcuffed before being identified through his driver’s license.
Crawford received a citation for reckless driving but was released without charges. One passenger, identified as a member of Crawford’s security team, was found to be carrying a legal firearm. Police confirmed that all occupants in the vehicle were legally permitted to carry firearms.
Official Response and Investigation
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, who has served as the city’s police chief since 2012, immediately ordered an internal affairs investigation into the incident. Mayor John Ewing expressed his support for the investigation and personally spoke with Crawford following the traffic stop.
In his official statement, Mayor Ewing acknowledged the gravity of the situation: “I acknowledge the seriousness of what occurred and how trust between law enforcement and our community is important and shows the need to be continuously vigilant about building relationships”. The mayor emphasized that the investigation would be “full and thorough” with transparent findings shared with the public.
Context of the Terence Crawford Celebration
The traffic stop occurred just hours after Crawford was honored with a victory parade in downtown Omaha, where an estimated 20,000 supporters celebrated his unprecedented achievement. Crawford had defeated Canelo Alvarez by unanimous decision on September 13, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, becoming the first male boxer in the four-belt era to capture undisputed championships in three weight classes.
The celebration included a parade through downtown Omaha and a birthday party at Steelhouse, a live music venue near where the traffic stop occurred. The festivities marked Crawford’s historic victory that saw him claim the WBO, WBC, IBF, and WBA super middleweight titles in front of over 70,000 fans in Las Vegas.
Mayor’s Full Statement
Mayor Ewing’s complete statement reflected the unfortunate end to what should have been a purely celebratory day: “Understand that my heart dropped in learning of this end to an otherwise wonderful day and evening celebrating our city’s world boxing champion. We held a great parade and great event at Heartland of America park. The evening birthday party at Steelhouse, which I and members of my team attended, was a showing of joy and pride”.
The mayor concluded by emphasizing the city’s commitment to ensuring all residents feel safe and respected: “Meanwhile, we must ensure that every resident, no matter who they are, feels safe and respected in Omaha”.
Crawford’s Historic Achievement
Crawford’s victory over Alvarez on September 13 was considered one of the biggest fights in boxing history, generating over $47 million in ticket sales and attracting 41 million viewers on Netflix. The 38-year-old boxer from Omaha moved up two weight divisions to defeat the Mexican champion, extending his perfect professional record to 42-0 with 31 knockouts.
With this victory, Crawford joined an exclusive group as only the second male boxer to become a three-weight undisputed champion in the modern era. His achievement places him among boxing’s all-time greats, having now held undisputed titles at light welterweight, welterweight, and super middleweight.
The internal investigation continues as Omaha officials work to address the incident while preserving the positive memories of Crawford’s historic homecoming celebration.
