Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse crew’s personal objects, body digicam shows otherwise

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Grey Information) - An incident that concerned gamers from a college’s lacrosse workforce and deputies in Georgia remains below investigation.

WTOC reviews Delaware State University President Tony Allen released a press release 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 crew on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, together with suitcases with drug-sniffing canine.

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

The group was returning dwelling from a game in Florida and touring by a contracted bus, in keeping with Allen.

Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a information conference concerning the incident however took no questions. He claimed that no personal objects on the bus had been searched.

Body camera video obtained by WTOC, nonetheless, clearly showed the deputies going by means of the scholars’ bags and even treatment.

The university president wrote in his assertion that movies taken by players confirmed legislation enforcement attempting to intimidate them into confessing to possession of medication and/or drug paraphernalia.

“They didn’t really ask us,” mentioned Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Participant. “They informed us of what they’re gonna do and no one questioned them...we simply let them rattle through our stuff.”

A participant on the bus requested: “How did we go from being in the mistaken lane to going by means of our baggage?”

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

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

Allen wrote that everybody was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the next:

“We do not intend to let this or another incident prefer it move idly by. We're prepared to go wherever the evidence leads us. We now have video. We now have allies. Maybe extra considerably, we've the braveness of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his statement by writing, “We are going to never be bullied into believing anything other than what we are: Americans, learners, academics, builders—helpful and honorable people ready to soar.”

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