Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse group’s personal items, physique digital camera shows otherwise

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Gray Information) - An incident that concerned players from a college’s lacrosse crew and deputies in Georgia remains under investigation.

WTOC reviews Delaware State University President Tony Allen released an announcement on Monday responding to the incident that reportedly happened on April 20 in Liberty County.

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

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

The staff was returning dwelling from a sport in Florida and touring by a contracted bus, in line with Allen.

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

Physique digital camera video obtained by WTOC, nonetheless, clearly showed the deputies going by way of the scholars’ luggage and even medicine.

The university president wrote in his statement that videos taken by players confirmed law enforcement trying to intimidate them into confessing to possession of medication and/or drug paraphernalia.

“They didn’t really ask us,” said Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Player. “They informed us of what they’re gonna do and no one questioned them...we simply allow them to rattle by way of our stuff.”

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

A deputy responded: “Nicely, he stopped y’all, he didn’t cease y’all for a traffic violation...he stopped the driver for a site visitors violation.”

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

Allen wrote that everybody was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the next:

“We do not intend to let this or every other incident like it cross idly by. We are prepared to go wherever the evidence leads us. We've video. We've allies. Maybe more considerably, we've got the braveness of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his assertion by writing, “We'll by no means be bullied into believing anything apart from what we're: Americans, learners, lecturers, builders—useful and honorable individuals able to soar.”

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