Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse team’s private objects, body digital camera shows in any other case

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) - An incident that involved players from a university’s lacrosse team and deputies in Georgia remains below investigation.

WTOC experiences Delaware State College President Tony Allen released an announcement on Monday responding to the incident that reportedly occurred on April 20 in Liberty County.

Allen wrote Georgia regulation enforcement stopped a bus for a minor visitors violation with the Delaware State Lacrosse group on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, together with suitcases with drug-sniffing canine.

“100% you can’t be in that left lane in any respect,” stated a Liberty County Sheriff’s Deputy.

The workforce was returning residence from a recreation in Florida and touring by a contracted bus, in line with Allen.

Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a news conference in regards to the incident but took no questions. He claimed that no personal gadgets on the bus have been searched.

Physique camera video obtained by WTOC, nonetheless, clearly confirmed the deputies going through the students’ bags and even medicine.

The college president wrote in his assertion that movies taken by players confirmed regulation enforcement trying to intimidate them into confessing to possession of medicine and/or drug paraphernalia.

“They didn’t really ask us,” stated Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Participant. “They knowledgeable us of what they’re gonna do and nobody questioned them...we just let them rattle through our stuff.”

A player on the bus asked: “How did we go from being in the mistaken lane to going by our baggage?”

A deputy responded: “Nicely, he stopped y’all, he didn’t stop y’all for a visitors violation...he stopped the motive force for a site visitors violation.”

Nothing unlawful was found within the search, and Allen knowledgeable the general public that he has contacted Delaware’s governor, the Black Caucus and different state officers.

Allen wrote that everyone was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the next:

“We don't intend to let this or every other incident prefer it go idly by. We're prepared to go wherever the proof leads us. We now have video. We have now allies. Maybe extra significantly, we've the braveness of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his assertion by writing, “We are going to never be bullied into believing anything apart from what we're: Individuals, learners, teachers, builders—useful and honorable individuals able to soar.”

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