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

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

WTOC experiences Delaware State College President Tony Allen released 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 group on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, including suitcases with drug-sniffing dogs.

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

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

Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a information convention in regards to the incident but took no questions. He claimed that no private objects on the bus were searched.

Physique digicam video obtained by WTOC, nonetheless, clearly showed the deputies going by means of the scholars’ bags and even medication.

The college president wrote in his assertion that videos taken by players showed legislation enforcement attempting to intimidate them into confessing to possession of medication 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 no one questioned them...we simply let them rattle through our stuff.”

A participant on the bus asked: “How did we go from being within the improper lane to going by way of our baggage?”

A deputy responded: “Well, he stopped y’all, he didn’t stop y’all for a traffic violation...he stopped the driving force for a traffic violation.”

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

Allen wrote that everyone was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the next:

“We don't intend to let this or every other incident prefer it go idly by. We are ready to go wherever the proof leads us. We have video. We have now allies. Perhaps extra significantly, we now have the braveness of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his statement by writing, “We will by no means be bullied into believing something apart from what we are: Americans, learners, teachers, builders—useful and honorable people able to soar.”

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