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WMU dismisses football players accused of assault, armed robbery

Posted at 4:35 PM, Aug 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-28 16:36:18-04

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Two Western Michigan University football players accused of assaulting and robbing a young woman with a knife and gun on Friday have been dismissed from the football program.

Freshmen linebacker Ron George and wide receiver Bryson White were dismissed on Sunday following their arrest, according to a release from Western Michigan Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.

The two players were arrested Friday night and at that time were indefinitely suspended from the team.

According to both Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety chief Jeff Hadley and WMU executive director of university relations Cheryl Roland, the incident occurred overnight Friday on California Street in Kalamazoo.

The victim, a 20-year-old woman, was not a WMU student. She was not hurt.

“This has been a difficult time for our University, community and football family,” head coach P.J. Fleck said in a release. “With this action we are moving forward and we are focusing our attention on Northwestern.”

No further comment on the matter was offered.

The alleged victim told FOX 17 on Saturday the two men pushed their way into her apartment with a gun and knife in hand.

"They came in and they threw me over the couch," she said.

She said White attempted to assault her while George told him to back off. White allegedly pushed her against the bathroom wall, leaving a dent in the towel rack on the wall.

"That was the most terrifying thing I've ever had to do," she told FOX 17.

The football team begins its season Sept. 3 at Northwestern.

White and George are expected to be arraigned on charges Monday.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting says his office has authorized charges of armed robbery, first-degree home invasion and larceny in a building against the two former players. Getting says if convicted on all the charges, they could face life in prison.

The two remain in custody pending their arraignment Monday.

Getting says he doesn't know if either has hired an attorney.