Post by jerome1 on Nov 15, 2010 11:50:04 GMT -5
www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20101115/NEWS01/11150313/3-usm-football-players-shot-at-nightclub
3 usm football players shot at nightclub
Athletes in fair condition at Forrest General Hospital
ELLEN CIURCZAK • American Staff Writer eciurczak@hattiesburgamerican.com • November 15, 2010
Hattiesburg police say they cannot rule out gang involvement in the shooting of three University of Southern Mississippi football players.
The three players are listed in fair condition at Forrest General Hospital after being shot early Sunday at Remington's Hunt Club in Hattiesburg.
The wounded players are Martez Smith, 22, a senior linebacker from Canton; Tim Green, 21, a junior linebacker from Columbia, S.C.; and Deddrick Jones, 23, a junior defensive lineman from Bastrop, La.
The shooting came less than 24 hours after the Golden Eagles upset 25th-ranked University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Officials with the Hattiesburg Police Department had little information to release on the case on Sunday.
"Police received a call of shots fired. All we know is that an altercation took place at the venue," police spokesman Alan Murray said at a press conference Sunday afternoon.
Murray said the altercation began inside the club around 1:35 a.m. on Sunday and then continued outside the club. He said the three players were unarmed.
Murray said police are asking for the public's help in identifying anyone involved in the shooting.
The police department is working with the USM Campus Police, the U.S. Marshal's Task Force and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation on the case.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with these young men and their families," said vice president of student affairs, Joe Paul at the same press conference.
Paul said university President Martha Saunders, athletic director Richard Giannini and head football coach Larry Fedora were all at the hospital Sunday, spending time with the injured players and their families.
"Our number one concern is for the health and welfare of these students and for their family members who await their recovery," said Saunders, in a prepared release.
"We will do all we can to assist these young men and their families, as well as assist the Hattiesburg Police Department in its investigation of this event."
Paul said Gov. Haley Barbour called Saunders Sunday to express concern for the players and their families. Saunders said the governor offered any assistance his office could provide.
Fedora said in a prepared release, "These three men are an integral part of the success of our football program, and we will continue to keep them in our hearts and hope for a speedy recovery."
Green and Jones played for the Golden Eagles Saturday. Smith has not played since injuring a knee on Oct. 9 against East Carolina.
The team arrived in Hattiesburg late Saturday afternoonafter recording its first victory over a ranked team on the road since 2000 when it beat No. 13 Alabama 21-0 in Tuscaloosa.
Remington's Hunt Club, located at 1900 N. 31st Ave., is no stranger to Hattiesburg Police.
An Oct. 24 report in the Hattiesburg American revealed that police had been called to the nightclub 129 times from January through September, although there had been no arrests.
Club officials said in the Oct. 24 story that they had beefed up security and have about 20 security people on duty on weekends when crowds can swell to as many 1,000 people.
General Manager Nick Dangler said the large security force at the club has caused the amount of problems there to drop.
Dangler could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
"We've had people get stabbed in the bar, but that was years ago when the club opened," he said in the Oct. 24 report.
The club opened in early 2007.
To help
If you have information about the shooting, call the Hattiesburg Police Department at 545-4911 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 582-7867.
3 usm football players shot at nightclub
Athletes in fair condition at Forrest General Hospital
ELLEN CIURCZAK • American Staff Writer eciurczak@hattiesburgamerican.com • November 15, 2010
Hattiesburg police say they cannot rule out gang involvement in the shooting of three University of Southern Mississippi football players.
The three players are listed in fair condition at Forrest General Hospital after being shot early Sunday at Remington's Hunt Club in Hattiesburg.
The wounded players are Martez Smith, 22, a senior linebacker from Canton; Tim Green, 21, a junior linebacker from Columbia, S.C.; and Deddrick Jones, 23, a junior defensive lineman from Bastrop, La.
The shooting came less than 24 hours after the Golden Eagles upset 25th-ranked University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Officials with the Hattiesburg Police Department had little information to release on the case on Sunday.
"Police received a call of shots fired. All we know is that an altercation took place at the venue," police spokesman Alan Murray said at a press conference Sunday afternoon.
Murray said the altercation began inside the club around 1:35 a.m. on Sunday and then continued outside the club. He said the three players were unarmed.
Murray said police are asking for the public's help in identifying anyone involved in the shooting.
The police department is working with the USM Campus Police, the U.S. Marshal's Task Force and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation on the case.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with these young men and their families," said vice president of student affairs, Joe Paul at the same press conference.
Paul said university President Martha Saunders, athletic director Richard Giannini and head football coach Larry Fedora were all at the hospital Sunday, spending time with the injured players and their families.
"Our number one concern is for the health and welfare of these students and for their family members who await their recovery," said Saunders, in a prepared release.
"We will do all we can to assist these young men and their families, as well as assist the Hattiesburg Police Department in its investigation of this event."
Paul said Gov. Haley Barbour called Saunders Sunday to express concern for the players and their families. Saunders said the governor offered any assistance his office could provide.
Fedora said in a prepared release, "These three men are an integral part of the success of our football program, and we will continue to keep them in our hearts and hope for a speedy recovery."
Green and Jones played for the Golden Eagles Saturday. Smith has not played since injuring a knee on Oct. 9 against East Carolina.
The team arrived in Hattiesburg late Saturday afternoonafter recording its first victory over a ranked team on the road since 2000 when it beat No. 13 Alabama 21-0 in Tuscaloosa.
Remington's Hunt Club, located at 1900 N. 31st Ave., is no stranger to Hattiesburg Police.
An Oct. 24 report in the Hattiesburg American revealed that police had been called to the nightclub 129 times from January through September, although there had been no arrests.
Club officials said in the Oct. 24 story that they had beefed up security and have about 20 security people on duty on weekends when crowds can swell to as many 1,000 people.
General Manager Nick Dangler said the large security force at the club has caused the amount of problems there to drop.
Dangler could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
"We've had people get stabbed in the bar, but that was years ago when the club opened," he said in the Oct. 24 report.
The club opened in early 2007.
To help
If you have information about the shooting, call the Hattiesburg Police Department at 545-4911 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 582-7867.