Pace University football captain in hot water over Nazi salute

NEW YORK -- A Pace University student and captain of the football team has come under fire for a derogatory photo that has surfaced online, reports CBS New York and the school newspaper The Pace Chronicle.

The photo appears to have come from the app Snapchat and is captioned as, "The Grand Wizard." The person in the photo, senior Tyler Owens, is covered in the confederate flag and making the Nazi salute.

"We are shocked that a student in an athletic leadership role would pose for a photo wrapped in a Confederate flag making a Nazi salute," Evan R. Bernstein, Anti-Defamation League New York Regional Director said in a statement Friday.

The Pace Chronicle is reporting that the photo in question was reportedly released to the media by a group of African-American students. The group of students said in an email to the Chronicle that they received the picture in real time via Snapchat this past week after there were rumors the photo was three years old.

The Chronicle is reporting that Owens' ex-girlfriend has denied leaking the photo.

"I would never do something like this to [Owens] or his team," she said to the Chronicle. "I would never sabotage anyone's future or their team this way. I had nothing to do with it and from what the news is saying the picture was taken a couple of years ago, when I did not know Owens."

According to the Chronicle, his ex-girlfriend did however decline to answer if Owens had displayed any racist or anti-Semitic tendencies during their relationship.

CBS New York reports that Pace University removed Owens as team captain and suspended him pending an investigation.

"The photograph is highly offensive and contrary to the values of diversity, inclusiveness and embracing the ethnic and cultural differences among students, faculty and staff that are deeply held at Pace University," said Pace President Stephen J. Friedman in an email to the Chronicle.

On Thursday, the University hosted an open forum regarding the photo, the paper reported.

The Chronicle tried to reach Owens, but he allegedly hung up before they could interview him.

Head Football Coach Andrew Rondeau and Athletics Director Mark Brown, declined to comment given the ongoing investigation, the paper also reported.