Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse group’s private items, body digital camera shows otherwise

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

WTOC studies 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 team on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, together with suitcases with drug-sniffing dogs.

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

The group was returning residence from a recreation in Florida and traveling by a contracted bus, based on Allen.

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

Body digital camera video obtained by WTOC, nevertheless, clearly confirmed the deputies going by the scholars’ baggage and even medication.

The college 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,” stated Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Player. “They informed us of what they’re gonna do and no one questioned them...we just let them rattle via our stuff.”

A participant on the bus requested: “How did we go from being in the mistaken lane to going through our baggage?”

A deputy responded: “Effectively, 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 found in 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 following:

“We do not intend to let this or another incident prefer it cross idly by. We're prepared to go wherever the proof leads us. We've got video. We have now allies. Maybe more significantly, now we have the braveness of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his statement by writing, “We'll never be bullied into believing something apart from what we are: Americans, learners, academics, builders—helpful and honorable individuals able to soar.”

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