Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse team’s personal gadgets, body digicam exhibits otherwise

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

WTOC reviews Delaware State University President Tony Allen launched 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 traffic violation with the Delaware State Lacrosse crew on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, together with suitcases with drug-sniffing canines.

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

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

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

Physique digicam video obtained by WTOC, nevertheless, clearly showed the deputies going by the students’ baggage and even treatment.

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

“They didn’t actually ask us,” said Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Player. “They informed us of what they’re gonna do and nobody questioned them...we just allow them to rattle by way of our stuff.”

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

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

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

Allen wrote that everybody was incensed over the incident.

Allen also added the following:

“We do not intend to let this or any other incident like it move idly by. We're ready to go wherever the proof leads us. Now we have video. We've allies. Perhaps more considerably, we have the braveness of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his assertion by writing, “We are going to by no means be bullied into believing anything aside from what we are: Individuals, learners, teachers, builders—useful and honorable individuals ready to soar.”

Copyright 2022 WTOC via Grey Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.