Michigan State suspends four players after shocking video of mass brawl
Ann Arbor, Michigan - Michigan State Athletics suspended four football players on Sunday for their involvement in a frightening brawl at Michigan Stadium on Saturday night after the team's 7-29 loss to the Wolverines.
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker announced Sunday night that linebacker Tank Brown, cornerback Khary Crump, safety Angelo Grose, and defensive end Zion Young have all been suspended effective immediately after reviewing the disturbing video evidence of the incident.
The four-student athletes will remain suspended until all investigations are completed.
"We are currently working with law enforcement, Michigan State and Michigan campus leadership, and the Big Ten Conference to further evaluate the events in Ann Arbor, including but not limited to, additional student-athlete participation in the altercations and contributing factors," Tucker said in the statement. "The initial student-athlete suspensions will remain in place until the investigations are completed."
Videos blowing up on Twitter showed Grose and Young assaulting Wolverines defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows and a second clip captured an unidentified Michigan State player swinging a helmet at Michigan defensive back Gemon Green.
Though two separate altercations occurred following the game, only one scuffle has currently been evaluated for punishment.
Michigan Wolverines football seeks legal action
In the wake of the kerfuffle, Michigan State vice president and director of athletics Alan Haller also released a statement with a heartfelt apology.
Sill, Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh believes that legal action should take place after the horrific events left one of his players with possible injury.
"Two of our players were assaulted," Harbaugh said in a post game press conference. "I saw on the one video. Ten-on-one. It was pretty bad. It needs to be investigated."
University of Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel furiously condemned the incident and revealed that law enforcement is already involved.
"The police are also looking into it, because they've seen the video and they're addressing it," Manuel said to the media. We will leave it in their hands, but this is not how we should interact after a game."
He added: "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."
Hours after the game, University of Michigan police released a statement that an investigation into the incident has started.
Cover photo: Gregory Shamus / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP