The boy bander shared the clip in an attempt to press battery charges against a beachgoer allegedly trespassing on his property. Police declined to press charges.

Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell did not use homophobic slur in video from beach scuffle, lawyer says

The boy bander shared the clip in an attempt to press battery charges against a beachgoer allegedly trespassing on his property. Police declined to press charges.

By Leigh Blickley

April 2, 2026 2:29 p.m. ET

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Brian Littrell. Credit:

Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty

A lawyer for Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys is shooting down claims that he used a homophobic slur in a video from a reported beach scuffle on his property in Walton County, Fla.

Multiple outlets accused the boy bander of calling an alleged trespassing beachgoer, identified in a police report as Kyle Gallagher, "a f-----." In an uncensored version of clip shared with TMZ, however, Littrell is captured saying, "You want to be gay?" before calling Gallagher a "p----."

In a statement to ** on Thursday, Littrell's attorney, Peter Ticktin, said, "The claim that Mr. Littrell used a homophobic slur is false. The full video of the encounter shows unequivocally that no such language was used. Sexual orientation played no role in this incident, and any suggestion otherwise is knowingly false."

In a story published by WMBB on Wednesday, Littrell reportedly failed to press criminal charges against Gallagher after submitting the aforementioned video of their reported confrontation as evidence, but prosecutors declined to do so after seeing the video. The Backstreet Boy claimed Gallagher had committed battery against him while trespassing on Sunday, March 22, striking his hand and disturbing the peace. Gallagher told authorities he was allegedly startled by Littrell's phone being so close to his face and grabbed it out of reflex.

Police came to the conclusion that there was an overall lack of criminal intent.

Littrell bought his $3.8 million Santa Rosa Beach house in 2023, but the 51-year-old singer and his family claimed in a lawsuit that they had been experiencing trespassing issues with neighbors ever since.

"Mr. Littrell and his family purchased what they saw as their dream home, only to discover an ongoing pattern of trespassing and harassment targeting private property owners along their and their neighbors’ stretch of beach," Ticktin's statement continued. "These actions are not about public access, public beaches exist on both sides of the neighborhood and remain open and uncrowded. Instead, certain individuals appear intent on challenging the very concept of private property rights."

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The lawyer added that "it is deeply troubling that these incidents have been allowed to escalate due to a lack of enforcement by the local Sheriff’s office. Homeowners are entitled to safety and privacy on their own property, and Mr. Littrell is no exception."

Brian Littrell with the Backstreet Boys.

Alexander Tamargo/Getty

In Florida, sand below the high tide water mark is public, while dry sand above the high tide line can be privately owned — although some towns have passed rules allowing the public to use even privately owned beaches.

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Ticktin added in the statement to EW, "Mr. Littrell enjoys positive relationships with his neighbors. They share a common challenge: repeated trespassing by individuals who deliberately enter private property to provoke confrontation. These incidents have affected multiple homeowners in the area and predate Mr. Littrell’s purchase of his home."

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Source: “EW Celebrity”