Police Bodycam Footage Released From Falcons Rookie WR’s Arrest – “He Looked At Me, He Smirked At Me, And Then He Did It Again” [VIDEO]
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Newly released police bodycam footage has provided more details about the April arrest of Zachariah Branch in Athens, Georgia. Prosecutors have since dropped all charges related to the incident.
The footage, obtained by The California Post and released on Friday, shows Branch standing on a sidewalk with dozens of other people shortly after midnight on April 19. The incident happened only a few days before the Atlanta Falcons selected the former University of Georgia wide receiver in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The first 28 seconds of the video have no audio. During that time, an officer appears to tell Branch and others to leave an area outside a crowded bar. Branch then walks a few steps to his left and stops near a group of people who are still standing on the sidewalk.
Officer Arrests Branch After Sidewalk Encounter
Moments later, the officer suddenly moves toward Branch and places him in handcuffs. As she detains him, she tells nearby officers that she is arresting the 22-year-old for “blocking the sidewalk.”
While officers escort Branch to a patrol car, he questions the arrest.
“I didn’t do anything,” Branch says in the footage.
The officer disagrees and explains her reasoning.
“I told you to move from blocking the sidewalk,” she says. “I gave you a legal order and you did not listen.”
Branch responds, “Ma’am, I was trying to walk away. What are we doing?”
The officer later speaks with someone who spent time with Branch earlier that night and provides more details about the arrest.
“He should have moved the first three times I told him to move,” she says. “He looked at me, he smirked at me, and then he did it again. That’s obstruction.”
She also says, “I asked him if he wanted to be the example. And he chose to be the example. He made that decision. You cannot undo it for him. He’s going to jail.”
Police booked Branch on two charges, one count of obstructing public sidewalks or streets and one count of obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
The case did not last long.
On Wednesday, Branch’s attorney, Kim Stephens, announced that prosecutors dismissed all charges after reviewing the evidence.
“After reviewing all evidence, including videos, and discussing the case with us, the State agreed to dismiss all charges against Mr. Branch yesterday,” Stephens said. “Zachariah cooperated fully with law enforcement and did not commit a crime on the night of his arrest, and never should have been arrested.”
Branch entered the NFL just days after the arrest when Atlanta selected him with the No. 79 overall pick. The former USC and Georgia standout caught 81 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns during his final college season. He has already made an impression during Falcons offseason workouts, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently saying Branch “kind of reminds me of” Jaylen Waddle.
