Florida State QB De'Andre Johnson is claiming that the woman he punched in the face in a Tallahassee bar fight last week called him the N-word before things got violent, according to the freshman football player's representative.
Johnson is claiming that the woman provoked the altercation when the four-star freshman initially bumped into her at the bar and she said, "Get off me you f**king n**ger," reported TMZ.
Johnson's rep says there are witnesses at the bar who also claim they heard the racial slur and they're willing to testify in court.
The security cameras show Johnson following a woman in a bar. As the two appear to be exchanging words, the woman, reportedly a 21-year-old FSU student, holds up her right fist and then Johnson grabs her right arm. She throws a light punch with her left hand before Johnson nails the woman with a right-handed punch to the face.
Johnson says he's "extremely embarrassed" about the situation and has apologized for punching the woman but, maintains that she was the initial aggressor.
TMZ reached out to the woman and her family members several times for comment — but didn't get a response — except one family member told us he would not comment and hung up.
A lot of questions surrounding the incident still remain. Starting with what was the 19-year-old doing in a bar? And, of course, did the woman's feeble attack and alleged N-bomb warrant physical retaliation?
Johnson was suspended indefinitely by Florida State on June 25 for a violation of athletic department policy.
