Ryan Lochte And U.S. Swimmers Vandalized Rio Gas Station, Got In Fight, Brazilian Reports Say

The American Olympic swimmers who claimed they were robbed at gunpoint  early Sunday morning by Brazilians posing as police officers fabricated their account of the incident, according to local investigators.

Ryan Lochte And U.S. Swimmers Vandalized Rio Gas Station, Got In Fight, Brazilian Reports Say

After viewing video footage and hearing testimony from witnesses, the Brazilian police have assessed the incident involved the four U.S. male swimmers, which included three-time Olympian Ryan Lochte, causing damage to a bathroom door at a gas station where the swimmers stopped Sunday morning on the way back to the athletes’ village from a party at the French hospitality house.

A Brazilian police official who had reviewed the video images stated there had been no armed assault, contrary to what the Olympians alleged. The official declined to be identified because the investigation is ongoing.

Two of the swimmers, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, were pulled off their flight bound for the United States overnight and had their passports seized as the episode quickly spiraled into a diplomatic affair in the waning days of the Rio Games.

Some news organizations have reported that one of the swimmers got into an altercation with a security guard, although no evidence of any kind of this has yet been found.

Brazilian daily newspaper O Globo cited the owner of the Barra da Tijuca gas station as saying that the Olympians had thrown stones at the business and torn one of its signs before urinating in the street that morning.

“They stopped next to the gas station, and urinated outside right next to the gas station,” said the owner, who the newspaper stated chose to remain unnamed. We even have images of one of the athlete’s butts, as he is pulling up his pants.”

CNN has viewed the footage but cannot confirm its authenticity. The network has reached out to police and attorneys for the swimmers for comment on the report but has not received any responses.

Someone at the gas station called the police, but by the time a police car arrived at the scene, the swimmers were gone. Witnesses, including a person who offered to translate for the swimmers, said that they paid money to the manager before leaving.

Brazilian authorities said they have questions about what happened early Sunday and have concerns over inconsistencies in the accounts of the events. Many policemen in Rio reportedly believe there was no robbery.

Jeff Ostrow, Lochte’s lawyer, waived off suggestions of conflicting stories, stating the four swimmers’ accounts “are 95 percent consistent.”

On Sunday, Lochte gave a terrifying account of the alleged robbery to NBC, which is broadcasting the Olympics in the United States. The 32-year-old swimmer said his and his three teammates’ taxi was pulled over and men flashed a police badge at the Americans before forcing them to the ground. After Lochte refused to get down, he said one of the assailants cocked a gun and pressed it against his head.

However, Lochte slightly changed his account Wednesday, NBC reported, saying he and his teammates were robbed after using a toilet at a gas station. Lochte said two men tried to force them to the ground, one pointing a gun inches from him when he refused.