A Below Deck alum is sticking up for their former co-star in the wake of his arrest stemming from a 17-year-old's death.
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After seeing a video of a fight allegedly between Below Deck's João Franco and the late teen, Colin Macy-O'Toole believes his old castmate was in the right.
"Having seen the video footage, my impression is that João appeared to be trying to defend himself and de-escalate an already escalating situation," Macy-O'Toole recently told Page Six. "From what is visible, it doesn't look to me like he was looking to start a confrontation."
"It looks like he was reacting to what was happening around him," Macy-O'Toole, who wasn't at the scene, added.
'Below Deck' Star Was Arrested in Turkey in Connection to Brawl That Left Teen Dead
Per Page Six, the 36-year-old Franco and his brother Karlos were arrested in Turkey on Nov. 7 following the brawl outside a clothing store in the Bodrum district of Mugla. CCTV footage obtained by the outlet purports to show Franco's brother reportedly throwing the first punch during the melee.
João Franco reportedly jumped into the fray, attempting to break things up, before others piled in. After reportedly struggling to stop the fight, João allegedly threw a punch of his own, reportedly knocking an individual to the ground. The person knocked down, reportedly an employee at the store, allegedly hit his head on a nearby step.
He allegedly suffered a severe head wound and went into cardiac arrest. The teen was reportedly rushed to Mugla Training and Research Hospital and was listed in critical condition. However, despite the life-saving efforts, he died on Nov. 9.
Meanwhile, Macy-O'Toole appeared on seasons 3 and 4 of Below Deck alongside Franco, and the two have remained close.
"Knowing João, I think it's important that people take the full context of the footage into consideration before jumping to conclusions or assigning blame," Macy-O'Toole added about Page Six's video of the incident. "This is an incredibly tragic situation. I hope the facts are allowed to come out before anyone rushes to judgment."
According to Page Six, João and Karlos are still detained, "awaiting next steps" following the incident.
