"You are not alone" - Jaxson Hayes' ex-gf Sofia Jamora opens up on enduring alleged abuse by Lakers star
Earlier this month, TMZ Sports shared footage from the night Jaxson Hayes was arrested after an altercation with police in 2021. Though police body camera footage of Hayes' altercation was previously released, security footage from inside his former girlfriend Sofia Jamora's home had never appeared online.
Now, on the heels of the footage going viral, Jamora shared a message to other women who may be victims of domestic violence. TMZ relayed her message, which read, in part:
"I want to thank everyone for all of your love, support and kind messages," Jamora said. "I am so touched, moved and motivated by all of you. Your words have warmed my heart and made me feel seen in a way I never imagined. As a survivor of domestic violence, I wanted to share that you are not alone.
"I loved someone I trusted with my safety and well-being. Going through that experience was difficult, but every day now, I feel grateful simply to be here, healing and reclaiming my life. If you are struggling with abuse, please know that you don't have to go through it by yourself."
NBA reopens investigation into Jaxson Hayes following new footage of incident that led to his arrest in 2021
With the newly released footage, the NBA has decided to reopen its investigation into Jaxson Hayes. Initially, the league decided that it wasn't going to suspend Hayes after the 2021 incident, which saw Hayes get tased by police officers.
Now, however, the league is reopening its investigation into the Lakers' big man. Over the weekend, the league released a statement through ESPN announcing that they would be reopening the investigation given the new information that's come to light.
A statement from NBA spokesman Mike Bass relayed by Sports Illustrated read:
"As previously stated, the video has prompted us to reopen our investigation of this matter. We are also aware of and have been monitoring the pending civil litigation. We will not be providing details on our investigative process."
The league reopening its investigation could lead to Hayes facing disciplinary action. However, Sofia Jamora's attorney, Waukeen McCoy, told Sports Illustrated that during the league's first investigation, he returned a call from the league's investigators but never heard back.
The NBA has alleged that they reached out to McCoy's co-council, Laura Stone, but they never heard back.