American Football star Ray Rice SACKED after shocking video shows him knocking out fiancée
AN American Football star has been sacked by his side after a shocking video emerged of him knocking out his then-fiancée with a blow to the face.
Ray Rice, who was signed to the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, left Janay Palmer out cold on the floor after hitting her in a lift with such force her head smacked into a nearby metal rail.
The 27-year-old then drags Ms Palmer out of the elevator and into a casino he was visiting. The knockout blow happened after the couple were involved in a row.
The horrifying clip emerged last night and after widespread outrage from fans and celebrities the running back had his contract terminated by the Ravens.
Rice has also been indefinitely suspended by the sport's authorities for the incident on February 15. At the time he was arrested and charged with assault.
It changed things, of course. It made things a little bit different
He had previously been handed a two-game suspicion by the American Football league five months after the shocking incident in Atlantic City.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he met with the club's bosses after celebrity gossip website TMZ published new footage of the punch and they decided to sack Rice.
He said: "It's something we saw for the first time today, all of us.
"It changed things, of course. It made things a little bit different."
The decision marks a complete reversal for the former Super Bowl champions after they had previously stuck by Rice.
This was despite a police summons which said Rice caused "bodily injury to Janay Palmer, specifically by striking her with his hand, rendering her unconscious."
When the NFL announced Rice's two-game suspension Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said: "We respect the efforts Ray has made to become the best partner and father he can be.
"That night was not typical of the Ray Rice we know and respect.
"We believe that he will not let that one night define who he is, and he is determined to make sure something like this never happens again."
I've let everybody I know down - Ray Rice [AMBIENT]
At the time Mr Harbaugh also said: "The thing I appreciate about it is how Ray has handled it afterward by acknowledging it was wrong and he'll do everything he can do to make it right.
"That's what you ask for when someone does a wrong thing. So, I'm proud of him for that."
In a news conference this summer, Rice said that his actions that night were "inexcusable."
The video released caused widespread with Hollywood star Seth Rogen leading the criticism of Rice.
He posted on Twitter: "I don't know much about football, but I know that Ray Rice is a piece of garbage who shouldn't be allowed to play it professionally anymore."
White House spokesman Josh Earnest also responded to the Rice video by saying "hitting a woman is not something a real man does".