Scottie Pippen questioned in assault probe

Scottie Pippen photo from wikipedia.org

MALIBU — US authorities said Monday that they had questioned National Basketball Association hall-of-famer Scottie Pippen in connection with an alleged assault outside a Malibu restaurant.

Pippen, who won six NBA titles with Chicago and two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, was allegedly involved in a scuffle outside Nobu restaurant at about 6:30 pm Sunday, the police spokesman Dave Thompson said Monday.

One man, who was not named, was taken to hospital by ambulance with an apparent head injury and a wearing a cervical collar.

Thompson confirmed that Pippen was interviewed by police and later released. Television news pictures showed Pippen leaving the police station with celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos.

Pippen spent an hour talking to police and did not speak to reporters as he left the station.

Thompson said the altercation may have resulted from a request for an autograph, but he did not want to elaborate.

“I believe the altercation started over photographs or an autograph. I don’t at this point have all the details,” Thompson said.

“I don’t think it was quite as simple as asking for an autograph but those are some of the things we are going to clear up in our investigation.”

No one has been arrested and no charges have been filed.

Thompson said they also plan to talk to the man who taken to hospital.

“We are going to interview him in the next day or two and get the full extent of his injuries and again how those injuries occurred which is always somewhat up for debate,” Thompson said.

The six-foot-eight Pippen played with the Bulls from 1987-1998. He won gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Summer Games.

Thompson said they will keep close tabs on Pippen until the investigation is finished.

“We got his statement. We know how to contact him. We know how to find him,” he said.