Arizona State DT George Lea suspended after BB gun arrest
Arizona State defensive tackle George Lea was arrested Monday night after an incident involving a BB gun.
According to the Arizona Republic, Lea was arrested on “suspicion of first-degree burglary involving a weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful imprisonment.”
Arizona State head coach Todd Graham suspended Lea, a true freshman, indefinitely on Tuesday.
“ASU football players are held to high standards and are expected to exercise good discipline and judgment on and off the field,” the school said in a statement. “The ASU Police Department and the Dean of Students are investigating the matter and will take appropriate action, as warranted, once all the facts are gathered.”
Arizona State police said Lea, a freshman who enrolled early, pointed the BB gun – which was wrapped in a towel – at a teammate. A witness, another ASU football player, said he thought Lea was “probably playing around.”
From the Republic:
According to ASU police, Lea walked into a teammate’s Tempe apartment and pointed the BB gun — wrapped in a towel — at a freshman teammate and said, “I heard this is where all the money is at.” Lea told police he made it clear he was holding only a BB gun, but the teammate told police he feared for his safety. A witness to the incident — also an ASU freshman football player — told police he thought Lea was “probably playing around,” but added that Lea’s demeanor appeared serious.
The 6-foot-2, 272-pound Lea, a three-star recruit from New Orleans, was still in custody as of 6 p.m. Tuesday evening.
According to the Republic, Lea “impressed” the coaches throughout spring practice and was in line for playing time as a true freshman for the Sun Devils.
For more Arizona State news, visit ASUDevils.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
