Security footage that led to Florida players' arrests released
University of Florida police have released security footage of the BB gun incident that led to the arrests of two Florida freshmen receivers, Tyrie Cleveland and Rick Wells, after a records request by student newspaper The Independent Florida Alligator.
The two were arrested on charges of criminal mischief and firing a missile into a building for shooting BB guns into the Keys residential complex on campus last month. In The Alligator’s condensed video, a man is shown leaving a broom in the door so that Cleveland and Wells can open it, as they apparently do not live in the complex. Cleveland casually opens the door before Wells leans in and briefly fires. The door closes before Cleveland can fire into the residential hall, so he opts to shoot upward from the outside. In footage from the south side of the complex, one can see the BB’s hitting the glass around the opposite door.
Cleveland, the No. 2 wideout of the 2016 class according to 247Sports composite rankings, is expected to be a key contributor for the Gators this fall. Wells, a former three-star prospect from Jacksonville, was UF’s first pledge for 2016. The pair are being represented by local attorney Huntley Johnson, known for getting Florida players out of legal trouble.
Coach Jim McElwain has not yet announced punishment for the two receivers.
bb gun? yeah. they should get in trouble, but nothing more than a slap on the wrist as long as no one was injured.
There are far worse things that a young, college kid can do to get into trouble. As an Arkansas fan, I was hoping Cleveland would be in Fayetteville this fall. I hope he can get his s**t! together, so we can beat’em with him on the field. But truly, I hope he learns and focuses on his future.
Look at the gun in his hand. Can you tell for sure it’s a bb gun just by looking quickly? Supposing a security officer, or a policeman or even an armed civilian had drawn their gun and fired? We’d have an incident that could set off an ugly chain reaction. A bb gun is also capable of producing permanent injury in the right circumstances. This poor judgment needs to be punished adequately. What would the punishment be if this was a non-athlete freshman? Expulsion? One-semester suspension? If football players are not held to the same standard this kind of behavior will continue.
Yeah, a NARP or student, would be expelled. Today, we live in a world full of double standards.
EX: Hilary Clinton
Rapist, con man, racist, micro fingers….what excites you the most?
My freshman year of college in 2002, people on my floor in the dorm had the air-soft guns they ran around shooting each other. The cops got called and the kids did get in trouble, but it was not that big of deal. The floor was not athletes, mostly architecture students.
Bb gun fun…leave em alone liberals!
Bb gun fun…leave em alone liberals!
Its obvious they are playing around with someone on the inside. I open carry a real gun and i wouldnt have drawn on them when they laughing and goofing off pulling the trigger and no sound. Obviously a bb gun and kids playing like my brothers and i did when i was growing up. Let them play TN this year. I eant to beat FL with all players on the field this year.
Obviously a couple of kids just being stupid. BUT, they should be forced to attend the same gun safety class as that Bama kid. Even if it’s a BB gun, you never point it at someone.
Yup, pretty clear it was just harmless fun… Although a very bad judgement call using “fake” guns that look real is not the best thing to be doing with all the recent shootings going on. Plus, there are fields to go play “airsoft” on and have more fun.
FSU had huge BB wars with thousands of dollars in many broken windows and other damages… and no arrest were made. So on that note, once again I am proud of our (Florida) players being held to a higher standard by the coaches as well as the police.
It’s annoying sometimes to see these arrests, but it is the right thing to do to keep our image, and the SEC image, clean.