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BY NICK GERHARDT

ANCHOR CHRISTINE HARTMAN

Is a grocery bag full of beer a deadly weapon?

Bakersfield Police shot Former Cincinnati Bengal David Turner was shot twice after he allegedly struck an officer with a bag containing two 24-ounce cans of beer.  With him--his 19-year-old son and an unidentified 16-year-old.  

KSAZ Arizona has more

“David Lee Turner was leaving the store with his son when the deputies got there. They accused him of buying alcohol for minors, but Turner’s son says he turned the kids down. He says the officers hit his father on the back of his legs with a club when he tried to walk away.”

From there, statements don’t quite match up. Turner’s son Kevin claims the police fired shots after the grocery bag fell and the beers exploded, according to KSAZ.

Meanwhile, the deputies’ statement makes no mention of a billy club.

Here’s the Bakersfield Callifornian, who broke the story:

"According to reports, Turner first complied with deputies’ directions but then attempted to leave the area. When deputies tried to stop Turner from leaving, he fought with them.”

The Californian also says Turner has had a history of run-ins with the law since leaving the league in 1980.  The incident is under investigation. As it should be, says Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk.

“Deadly force is grossly excessive under these circumstances, especially when the officer surely had other means at his disposal for getting Turner to stop swinging a sack that contained a couple of cans of beer.”

Deputy Wesley Kraft, the officer who shot Turner, has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation’s outcome. Officers were summoned to the Fast Trip convenience store after reports of 10 to 15 juveniles trying to get adult patrons to buy them alcohol.