Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse group’s personal items, body digicam shows otherwise

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Gray Information) - An incident that involved gamers from a university’s lacrosse crew and deputies in Georgia remains underneath investigation.

WTOC reports Delaware State University President Tony Allen launched a statement 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 canines.

“100% you'll be able to’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 gadgets on the bus had been searched.

Physique digital camera video obtained by WTOC, however, clearly confirmed the deputies going by means of the students’ baggage and even medication.

The college president wrote in his assertion that videos taken by gamers showed law enforcement making an attempt 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 knowledgeable us of what they’re gonna do and no one questioned them...we just allow them to rattle through our stuff.”

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

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

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

Allen wrote that everybody was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the following:

“We don't intend to let this or another incident prefer it go idly by. We're prepared to go wherever the evidence leads us. Now we have video. Now we have allies. Perhaps extra considerably, we have now 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: Americans, learners, teachers, builders—helpful and honorable folks able to soar.”

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