5 California University of Pennsylvania Football Players Arrested for Assault

Five members of the California University of Pennsylvania football team have reportedly been arrested on charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, harassment and conspiracy, according to Ralph Iannotti of KDKA in Pittsburgh:

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Police say they beat and stomped a man outside an off-campus restaurant, then fled yelling 'Football strong!' The victim was in intensive care Friday with severe brain trauma.

A witness tells KDKA the players jumped another man outside the restaurant, and beat him up. KDKA’s Ralph Iannotti reports sources say the victim was stomped on until he lost consciousness.

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The five players in question are James Williamson, Corey Ford, Jonathan Barlow, Rodney Gillin, and D’Andre Dunkley. They are all being held on $500,000 bond.

Witnesses at the scene said that Ford got into an argument with the victim's girlfriend. When the victim stepped in, he was attacked, per Karen Mansfield of the Observer-Reporter.

Jeff Shuman, who owns the restaurant where the assault took place, said members of the football team have caused problems in the area before.

"The kids who play football, for the five years we've been here, have gotten off the hook for things I don’t think they should have gotten off the hook for," he said, per Mansfield. "I hope this sets an example to the school that maybe they shouldn’t be bringing in some of the kids they’re bringing in to play football."

Following the incident, the school announced that Cal U's game with Gannon on Saturday will be canceled:

Eric F. Epler of PennLive.com reported a statement from the school's interim president, Geraldine M. Jones:

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The police investigation is continuing, and the rights of these accused students will be upheld. But in light of these allegations, I asked coach [Mike] Keller to cancel Saturday's game. Behavior has consequences, and all Cal U students, including student-athletes, must abide by our Student Code of Conduct if they wish to remain a pair of our campus community.

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Cal U's next game is scheduled for Nov. 8 against Mercyhurst.