Police Investigating NBA Star Ja Morant After He Allegedly Displayed a Gun on Social Media

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Colorado police launched an inquiry into whether Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant broke any of the state's gun laws when he appeared to show off a gun on social media while at a strip club, PEOPLE confirms.

Colorado's Glendale Police Department say they launched an investigation into 23-year-old Morant after he was seen in an Instagram Live video appearing to hold up a handgun with his left hand while partying in a club.

"The department is aware of the incident circulating on the internet involving an NBA player at a nightclub with a what appears to be a gun in the early morning hours of March 4, 2023," Capt. Jamie Dillon told PEOPLE in a statement.

"We have confirmed the incident took place at a bar in Glendale and we are investigating the matter," he added. "The Glendale Police Department does not comment on ongoing investigations."

Dillon told the Associated Press that they did not receive complaints or calls about the video but began looking into the incident after the footage spread online.

Following the video's release, NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement that the league was "aware of a social media post" and was "investigating" the incident, per ESPN.

RELATED: Ja Morant Issues Apology for Showing Gun on Instagram After NBA Initiates Investigation

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Morant has since been suspended for two games. The second game is scheduled for Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Saturday, Morant apologized for his behavior in a statement obtained by ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski.

"I take full responsibility for my actions last night," Morant said. "I'm sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down."

"I'm going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being," he added.

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According to an article published by Washington Post on Wednesday, Morant was allegedly involved in two altercations last summer.

In one incident, Morant was said to have "threatened" the head of security at a Memphis mall after an altercation in the parking lot, which led the security chief to file a police report. In the other incident, a teenage boy reportedly told the police that Morant had punched him during a pickup basketball game at Morant's residence.

The police report indicated that Morant claimed he acted in "self-defense" after the boy threw the ball at his head.

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Morant's agent, Jim Tanner, denied these allegations and described them as "unsubstantiated rumors and gossip" spread by individuals seeking to damage Morant's reputation for their own financial gain.

Tanner emphasized that all claims involving firearms had been thoroughly investigated, and no evidence had been found. This included an NBA investigation conducted in January.

The investigation referenced by Tanner pertained to an alleged confrontation between Morant's acquaintances and members of the Indiana Pacers' traveling party near the team's bus, as first reported by The Athletic.

A slow-moving SUV that Morant was riding in reportedly shone a red laser at the party, but NBA spokesperson Bass clarified that, based on interviews and evidence collected, they could not corroborate any reports of an individual threatening others with a weapon.