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ECU identifies officers in video

Sep 9, 2008

GREENVILLE, N.C. — The chief of police at East Carolina University said Tuesday that he has identified members of the security detail at Saturday's game who are on video clashing with fans after the Pirates upset West Virginia at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

The footage, which aired on ESPN and has led to an investigation, shows members of the Kinston police department and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Department, ECU's Chief Scott Shelton said.

According to the university's contract with law enforcement agencies, Shelton has shared the identities of the officers and deputies with their supervisors, who would handle any disciplinary action. 

A statement released Tuesday by the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office said one of five deputies from that agency was "involved in an altercation on the field while assisting other officers who were trying to subdue an individual."

Maj. Chris Hill described the actions of the Lenoir deputy visible in the video as "empty-hand stunning blows to the legs of the individual."

He said the sheriff's office was reviewing the video footage and interviewing deputies who were on duty at ECU Saturday in an attempt to determine what happened. No adminstrative action had been taken as of Tuesday afternoon.

Kinston police also plan an investigation into Saturday's postgame events. A statement released Tuesday afternoon said:

"The Kinston Department of Public Safety has provided support to the ECU Police Department for a number of years and has done so without incident. The investigation will be thorough and will include the actions of the officers and events leading up to the confrontation."

Shelton said ECU would reduce its reliance on outside law enforcement agencies for the remainder of the football season and would use only officers from agencies within Pitt County.

ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard said the university was reviewing game-day procedures to ensure the safety of fans and players. He asked the athletics department and student government to help in educating students about the dangers of rushing the field.

On Monday, ECU Athletic Director Terry Holland condemned the actions of both students and law enforcement officers, saying, “Regardless of the findings of the investigation into these incidents, the resulting ‘black eye’ is certainly a step backward for all good Pirates who have worked so hard to provide the very best game atmosphere and sportsmanship found anywhere in intercollegiate athletics.”

Holland said that while storming the field “looks like a lot of fun on television, I can tell you from first-hand experience that there are too many incidents that result in sometimes serious injury for anyone (particularly if you have a relative in the crowd) to believe that storming the field is 'just good fun' for college students. Such actions jeopardize the safety of many people, including our own coaches and players."

ECU's next home game, against the University of Houston, is scheduled for Sept. 27 at 3:30 p.m.