The teen who went viral after taking a selfie with Justin Timberlake during a live broadcast of Super Bowl LII was reportedly arrested Feb. 11.
Ryan McKenna, dubbed “Selfie Kid,” became an internet sensation after he took a selfie with Timberlake, who was the half-time entertainment act at Super Bowl LII in 2018. (RELATED: Take A Walk Down Memory Lane With Some Of Justin Timberlake’s Best Songs)
The now-18-year-old was arrested outside a shopping mall in Naples, Florida, the night before Super Bowl LVII, TMZ reported, citing the police arrest report. Officers initially arrived on the scene following allegations of a drunk man attacking his friend inside a California Pizza Kitchen, according to the outlet.
When police arrived at the restaurant, a 15-year-old-boy who alleged he was friends with McKenna said the two had gotten into an argument that escalated, TMZ reported. McKenna reportedly pushed a table and swore at the 15-year-old’s girlfriend. Police said they were discussing the alleged incident with the 15-year-old when McKenna disrupted their dialogue and continued to argue with the younger boy, according to TMZ. Officers allegedly asked McKenna to step away but he kept arguing, until subsequently the cops got McKenna to relax and remove himself from the scene, the outlet reported.
Justin Timberlake Super Bowl Selfie Kid Ryan McKenna Arrested In Florida https://t.co/kUcK6Zcbqy
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 14, 2023
The officers reportedly placed their hands on McKenna’s chest in order to stop him from allegedly antagonizing the 15-year-old boy, but McKenna then grabbed the officers’ hands and removed them from his chest, according to TMZ.
McKenna’s mother, Tracy, told the outlet her son had been playing around with his friends at the restaurant, and that he was not drunk. One of McKenna’s friends pulled a chair out from under him, which prompted McKenna to shove the table in a joking manner, she told TMZ.
Police eventually handcuffed McKenna on the ground after he allegedly resisted their efforts. He was brought to Naples Jail Center, where officers booked him for felony battery on a law enforcement officer, as well as two misdemeanors, according to TMZ.