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

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Grey News) - An incident that concerned players from a college’s lacrosse crew and deputies in Georgia stays underneath investigation.

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

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

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

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

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

Physique digicam video obtained by WTOC, however, clearly showed the deputies going through the scholars’ luggage and even medication.

The university president wrote in his statement that movies taken by gamers confirmed legislation enforcement attempting 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 Participant. “They knowledgeable us of what they’re gonna do and nobody 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 unsuitable lane to going via our luggage?”

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

Nothing illegal was discovered within 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 also added the following:

“We don't intend to let this or some other incident like it go idly by. We're ready to go wherever the proof leads us. We have video. We've got allies. Maybe extra considerably, now we have the courage of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his statement by writing, “We'll by no means be bullied into believing anything aside from what we're: Individuals, learners, academics, builders—useful and honorable folks ready to soar.”

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