Photo: Paul Sancya/AP/Shutterstock
Police are investigating a violent stadium tunnel incident that took place after Saturday night’s Michigan and Michigan State college football match-up.
The scuffle involved multiple Michigan State players as they surrounded and then allegedly kicked, and punched Michigan defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows. After the game, Michigan coachJim Harbaughcalled the incident an “assault.” Harbaugh also claimed a second player was injured, perESPN.
“Just like anybody, you want to protect your players,” Harbaugh said post-game, reported ESPN. “Ten on one, whatever it was, it was just bad. It needs to be investigated and brought to a conclusion. Our athletic director will make sure that that takes place.”
“What happened after the game is completely unacceptable. I’ve talked to the commissioner, he’s looking into it,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “The police are also looking into it because they’ve seen the video, and they’re addressing it. We will leave it in their hands, but this is not how we should interact after a game. This is not the way another team should grab a player and do what they did, it’s completely and utterly unacceptable. We will let the Big Ten and law enforcement handle it, but this is not what a rivalry should be about.”
In a joint statement after the game, authorities shared that “the University of Michigan Police, in partnership with Michigan State University Police, Michigan Athletics and Michigan football, is actively reviewing footage and investigating the postgame incident.”
“Situations like these, and the safety of the community, are taken very seriously,” the statement, shared to Twitter, reads.
“On behalf of Michigan State University, my heartfelt apology to the University of Michigan and the student-athletes who were injured,” he wrote. “There is no provocation that could justify the behavior we are seeing on the videos. Rivalries can be intense, but should never be violent.”
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The Big Ten said in a statement, per ESPN, that it’s “currently gathering information, will thoroughly review the facts, and will take appropriate action.”
source: people.com
