Dog the Bounty Hunter Denies Assault Accusation by Airport Heckler, Intends to Press Charges

Dog the Bounty Hunter star Duane “Dog” Chapman is denying an assault accusation after he was involved in a verbal altercation at the Denver Airport last week.

The reality star and his wife, Beth Chapman, were filmed waiting beside an airport elevator as two men approached Dog, 65, and accused him of assault on Friday, Nov. 30, according to footage obtained by The Blast.

As Dog and Beth, who sits in a wheelchair, back into the open elevator alongside an airport employee — who pulls their luggage — one of the male hecklers is recording saying, “This is my son and you put your f—— hands — you put your hands on my son.”

During the exchange, Dog is recorded responding, “Follow me outside, brah.”

“Dog the Bounty Hunter putting his hands on a f—— juvenile,” a male voice is heard saying.

As the men spew a slew of expletives at Dog, a female voice, presumably Beth, can be heard saying, “Get security.”

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE on Thursday, Dog’s attorney, Andrew B. Brettler, denied the allegation of assault and detailed the incident.

“There was no assault. A young man approached Dog at the Denver Airport in a very hostile and aggressive manner, clearly looking to start trouble. He insulted Dog and Beth, hurled racial slurs at Dog, and threatened to ‘cut’ Beth if she could ‘get out of her wheelchair.’ The Chapmans attempted to distance themselves from this individual, but he followed them to the elevator where he continued to shout profanities at them,” said Brettler.

“The Chapmans called for airport security. Eventually they were able to get in their vehicle without further incident. According to the Denver P.D., airport surveillance footage show this individual was the aggressor and that Dog did not assault him, as alleged,” Brettler continued. “The Chapmans intend to press charges against this individual and his father for harassment and for disturbing the peace.”

On Thursday, a Denver Police Department media relations officer confirmed to PEOPLE that Denver police received a report of an assault that occurred at the Denver International Airport on Nov. 30 at about 9:30 p.m.

According to the media relations officer, it is still an open investigation to determine exactly what happened. No arrests have been made at this time in relation to the investigation.

The incident comes just days after Beth underwent emergency surgery on Nov. 27 to clear a throat blockage that was obstructing her airways.

Last year, Beth’s husband confirmed in September 2017 that she had been diagnosed with stage II throat cancer. Two months later, he revealed in November 2017 that she was cancer free. Now, the cancer has reportedly returned.

“They say the cancer follows the path of least resistance, so it goes downward. Half of her lung was full of water,” Dog told Us Weekly on Sunday. “She’s much more comfortable now [that] she can breathe, but she just wanted to come back to Colorado, she loves it here.”

According to Dog, they left against her doctors’ advice.

“They told us they didn’t want her to leave the hospital, but she was adamant, she just wanted to be home,” he said, adding that they “were met by friends when we landed who brought us home.”

“Beth slept for almost an entire day,” he said. “And she was more comfortable, then she got up and she was trying to do things around the house, trying to do laundry and wash the dishes, I said to her, ‘I’ve done all that, don’t worry.’ “

As they await the results of Beth’s biopsy, the A&E star admitted he’s “nervous.”

“It’s like you kinda know what’s gonna happen, but you’re hoping and praying it’s not,” he said.

Last week, Dog told Us that they were hoping the cancer hadn’t spread.

“They got most of the throat cancer out,” he said. “Her airway is clear now, but the doctors are afraid that it has spread. They are doing a biopsy scan to check if it has spread. … Hopefully it hasn’t spread. Last time it didn’t spread at all, so we’re hoping the same thing.”

The former A&E stars wed in 2006 after 16 years together. Their family starred on the reality series for eight seasons until 2012.