Terrell Owens Says Man He Punched in CVS Fight Made 'Offensive Gestures,' Threats

Former NFL player Terrell Owens says he was acting in self-defense when he punched a man in a CVS parking lot, telling the Associated Press that the other person "made offensive gestures and threatening statements."

The altercation, which took place Saturday night in Inglewood, California, was caught on video and shared by TMZ Sports:

Owens said the situation began inside the store when a person threatened both him and a fan and that the man continued to do so after they walked outside.

"The aggressor continued threatening the fan just as he did in the store," Owens said. "Once again, attempting to diffuse the ongoing situation, I placed myself between the fan and the aggressor. I made verbal demands asking the aggressor to stop his threatening behavior."

Owens told the AP that the man "swung at me first," and he "felt obligated to prevent the aggressor from becoming more violent."

According to TMZ Sports, Owens left in his own car and police were not called.

The 48-year-old former wide receiver played 15 NFL seasons, earning five first-team All-Pro selections, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

He has stayed active in various football endeavors since his last NFL season in 2010, including playing in the Fan Controlled Football league this year.