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Two Rutgers football players, who were suspended from the team on Tuesday, were arrested by campus police after shooting three students with a paintball gun in a drive-by Monday night, college police said.
Cornerbacks Chris Long and Malachi “Max” Melton were charged with three counts of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for illegal purposes following the incident, which Rutgers police said performed on the Livingston campus.
The players were arrested Tuesday morning and head coach Greg Schiano suspended them before training. Long and Melton were released from custody on their own pledge. They received subpoenas to appear in Middlesex County Superior Court on November 4.
“On Monday, September 20, 2021, at approximately 10:00 p.m., the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) responded to the Livingston Campus neighborhood in Piscataway Township for the report of three student victims who were hit with paintballs. unloaded from a motor vehicle, “Rutgers Police Chief Kenneth Cop said in a statement provided to NJ Advance Media.” All three victims sustained minor injuries and refused to receive further medical attention on the spot An investigation by the RUPD resulted in the arrest of two male suspects on September 21, 2021. “
A victim was shot in the right elbow at close range, according to probable cause affidavits obtained by NJ Advance Media. Another victim was shot in the left arm and lower back and the third was shot in the lower abdomen, all at close range. The first and third victims suffered bleeding from the incident, according to the affidavits, while the second victim had bruises and marks.
The players were in a moving vehicle when they shot the victims, according to the affidavits.
Melton has started all three games this season and has been one of Rutgers’ best defensive players with two interceptions and a blocked punt. Long played in all three games on special teams. Their availability for Saturday’s game at Michigan’s No.19 is in doubt.
If Melton doesn’t play against the Wolverines, it will be a big blow to Rutgers’ secondary. His absence would leave Tre Avery and Kessawn Abraham in the upper corners of the team and likely impact the defensive packages used by the Scarlet Knights. Cornerback Patrice Rene, a transfer to North Carolina, missed the first three games of the season with injury. It is not known if he will be ready to play this weekend.
Schiano declined to comment after training. A spokesperson for the program said he would leave his statement earlier today.
“I have been informed that Chris Long and Malachi Melton were taken into custody early this morning following an incident involving a paintball gun,” Schiano said in the statement. “Both players were suspended immediately.”
Journalist Katie Kausch contributed to this report
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James Kratch can be contacted at [email protected].
Keith Sargeant can be reached at [email protected].
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