Courtesy Gilbert Police Dept.
GILBERT, Ariz. — Police have released the report on the arrest of former BYU and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Alex Hall, saying the former star athlete admitted to shoplifting and drug use.
“I’m really sorry. I’ll pay for the stuff. If I get arrested, I’ll get fired. I’ve never done this before,” Hall said, according to the report.
Hall was arrested Friday at a Best Buy store after employees claim they spotted him stealing items from the store.
Police said Hall admitted to shoplifting at a nearby Walmart.
Police wrote in the report they searched his backpack and found white powder in a pill bottle.
“I asked what the powder was and Max said, ‘Cocaine,'” the officer wrote.
The report said Hall admitted to using cocaine that morning and police found an injection site in his arm.
As police questioned him about the alleged drug use, the report states he said, “I don’t want to answer any more questions.”
Gilbert Public Schools, where Hall was most recently working as offensive coordinator, released this statement:
We have been made aware that Mr. Max Hall football coach, offensive coordinator, was arrested on allegations of illegal activity. We take these allegations very seriously and will respond expeditiously. We continue to gather information from the police at this time and will respond in the best interest of our students.
Read the police report here:
Hall was released after being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and narcotics possession. Formal charges are pending, police have said.
Hall gained notoriety for lashing out against Utah fans after BYU beat the Utes 26-23 in 2009, declaring: “I don’t like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans, I hate everything. It felt really good to send those guys home. I think the whole university and their fans and the organization is classless. They threw beer on my family and stuff last year and did a whole bunch of nasty things. I don’t respect them and they deserve to lose.”
Hall later apologized for his statements.
