2 South Carolina Players Arrested Over BB Gun Shooting
PETE IACOBELLI, AP Sports Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina freshman basketball player Eric Cobb was charged with assault for shooting a BB pellet gun at an occupied car.
He and teammate Jamall Gregory also were arrested Thursday for property damage in connection with the shootings. Police said no one was injured. All the charges are misdemeanors.
The two were taken into custody by the Columbia Police Department and booked into a Richland County jail Thursday. They were released on bond.
Cobb and Gregory were among five players indefinitely suspended Tuesday, less than two hours before the Gamecocks' 88-66 win over High Point in the NIT. The others suspended were guards Marcus Stroman and TeMarcus Blanton, and forward Chris Silva.
South Carolina will host Georgia Tech on Monday.
South Carolina coach Frank did not detail the reason for the suspensions, calling it a "conduct issue" in a statement. When asked about the suspension following the High Point win, Martin would not discuss the matter. When asked if the suspended players would be able to return to the team, he answered "I have no idea."
Cobb, 19, s a 6-foot-9 first-year player. He was charged with one count of malicious injury to private property along with third-degree assault and battery. Police said that on March 7 he shot the BB pellet gun at a car, causing damage to the right rear passenger door.
Gregory, 21, is a 6-2 guard. He is charged with three counts of malicious injury to person property and one of count of malicious injury to real property. He is alleged to have used a BB gun to damage three cars March 9. Police say two of the cars sustained damage to windows while a third had damage to its door. Gregory also used the gun to damage the side of a building a few days earlier, police said.
(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
