Mayor Reports “Positive” Exchange Following Ricky Williams Incident

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Martin Heines says former football star Ricky Williams is very welcome in Tyler. That’s after an incident last week in which local police responded to a suspicious person call about a man crouching behind a fence. According to KETK, Williams claims he was profiled. He says he was taking a walk in a wooded area near his south Tyler hotel while in town for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award banquet. That’s when police approached and began to question him in what he considered an inappropriate way. Police Officer Don Martin says law enforcement personnel were just doing their job and treated him respectfully. Williams was allowed to go free following the encounter. Heines says since the incident, he and Williams have had “a very positive conversation” by phone. Heines says he even invited Williams to stay at his home next time he’s in Tyler.