Three Baton Rouge police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, according to a statement from city Police Chief Murphy Paul, after LSU football player Koy Moore posted a complaint on social media Sunday afternoon, saying he was “violated numerous times” during an incident Saturday night.
Moore’s post said he was approached by police officers who pulled guns on him. He accused the officers of assuming he had a gun and drugs and said the officers screamed, “Where’s your gun?”
Moore said he was “violated numerous times, even going as far as trying to unzip my pants in search of a weapon,” which he said he repeatedly told them he didn’t have.
Moore also wrote that officers took his phone away when he tried to document the incident.
“I could’ve lost my life and I know for a fact nothing would’ve happened to the guys who did it,” the LSU football player wrote in his post.
According to the statement from the Baton Rouge Police Department, the chief was made aware of the post and talked to Moore about his complaint.
Paul placed the three officers involved on paid administrative leave while the incident is under an internal affairs investigation, the statement said.
“We appreciate Mr. Moore bringing this incident to our attention. As in every case, we will be collecting all available evidence and conducting interviews. Accountability and transparency are critical in building trust with the community. I pledge a thorough investigation into this complaint,” Paul said in the statement.
LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron issued a statement late Sunday night, saying he was “aware of the serious statements that Koy Moore made on social media about being violated by police officers Saturday evening.
“LSU and the Baton Rouge Police Department are investigating the incident. While I cannot comment on the investigation, what I can say is that we must work collectively to embrace our differences. We have to listen, learn and come together to combat social injustice and racism if we are to create a safer and more equitable society for all people,” Orgeron wrote.
The university tweeted Monday that officials had been made aware of the incident, saying “we echo the sentiment shared by Coach Ed Orgeron.”
During his regularly scheduled video conference with media on Monday, the coach said he had met with Moore, his mother and brother “to find out exactly what happened.”
Orgeron said the team would do everything to support Moore and his family.
“I was hurt. I was hurt to hear the things that went on,” the coach said. “I’m not happy about it. But I know that chief is going to do the proper investigation. I just want the right thing to happen. And from what he told me and stuff like that, I just felt bad, felt bad that it happened to one of our players.”
Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome also issued a statement, saying she had been made aware of the situation and that the chief had advised her that his department is thoroughly investigating the matter.
“We take these allegations seriously and will await the findings of the investigation. We will get to the bottom of this situation and keep the lines of communication open with the community,” Broome said.
Louisiana State, the defending NCAA champion, didn’t have a football game this past weekend. It is scheduled to host to No. 1 Alabama on Saturday.
Moore is a freshman wide receiver from Kenner, Louisiana.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.