Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse team’s private items, body digicam shows in any other case

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

WTOC stories Delaware State College President Tony Allen launched a press release on Monday responding to the incident that reportedly happened on April 20 in Liberty County.

Allen wrote Georgia legislation enforcement stopped a bus for a minor site visitors violation with the Delaware State Lacrosse crew on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, including 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 staff was returning residence from a game in Florida and touring by a contracted bus, according to Allen.

Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a news conference about the incident but took no questions. He claimed that no personal objects on the bus were searched.

Physique digital camera video obtained by WTOC, however, clearly showed the deputies going by means of the students’ luggage and even medicine.

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

“They didn’t actually ask us,” mentioned Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Player. “They knowledgeable 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 requested: “How did we go from being in the unsuitable lane to going through our luggage?”

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

Nothing unlawful was discovered within the search, and Allen knowledgeable the public that he has contacted Delaware’s governor, the Black Caucus and other state officials.

Allen wrote that everyone was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the next:

“We do not intend to let this or another incident like it go idly by. We're ready to go wherever the evidence leads us. We now have video. We have now allies. Perhaps extra significantly, we've got the braveness of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his statement by writing, “We will never be bullied into believing something other than what we're: Individuals, learners, teachers, builders—helpful and honorable folks ready to soar.”

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