Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse workforce’s private gadgets, physique digital camera reveals otherwise

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

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

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

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

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

Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a news conference in regards to the incident but took no questions. He claimed that no private gadgets on the bus had been searched.

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

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

“They didn’t really ask us,” mentioned 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 our stuff.”

A player on the bus requested: “How did we go from being in the incorrect lane to going through our bags?”

A deputy responded: “Nicely, he stopped y’all, he didn’t stop y’all for a visitors violation...he stopped the motive force for a visitors violation.”

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

Allen wrote that everyone was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the next:

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

Allen concluded his statement by writing, “We are going to by no means be bullied into believing something other than what we're: Americans, learners, teachers, builders—helpful and honorable people able to soar.”

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