Ansel Elgort is denying the allegation he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl. The accusation surfaced on social media last week, as a woman named Gabby claimed in a since-deleted post that Elgort sexually assaulted her in 2014, when she was 17.
The 26-year-old actor released a statement on Instagram on Saturday, writing that Gabby's "description of events is simply not what happened."
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"I was distressed to see the social media posts about me that have been circulating in the past 24 hours," Elgort began his post. "I cannot claim to understand Gabby's feelings but her description of events is simply not what happened. I have never and would never assault anyone."
The Baby Driver star said "what is true is that in New York in 2014, when I was 20, Gabby and I had a brief, legal and entirely consensual relationship." The age of consent in New York is 17.
"Unfortunately, I did not handle the breakup well. I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone. I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behavior when I disappeared," he said. "As I look back at my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted. I am truly sorry. I know I must continue to reflect, learn and work to grow in empathy."
In her since-deleted post, Gabby alleged that she sent Elgort a DM on social media two days before her 17th birthday. She says Elgort gave her his private Snapchat, and claims he sexually assaulted her a couple days later, after she had turned 17.
"When it happened instead of asking me if I wanted to stop having sex knowing it was my first time and I was sobbing in pain and I didn’t want to do it the only words that came out of his mouth were 'we need to break you in,'" Gabby alleged in the since-deleted post, per The Wrap. "I disassociated myself and just felt like my mind was gone I was in shock."
Gabby, who appears to have deleted her social media accounts, also claimed that Elgort asked her for nudes, and alleged that he "asked to have a threesome with me and one of my 'dance friends.'" She claims her friends were underage. Gabby said she didn't come forward earlier because Elgort allegedly told her it would "ruin his career."
"Years later I have ptsd, I have panic attacks I go to therapy," Gabby wrote. "Finally I'm ready to talk about it and finally heal."
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