MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Several Middle Tennessee State University football players were involved in a home invasion “prank, ” according to a police report. None were arrested, but team officials said they would face discipline.
A report from Mufreesboro Police said officers were called to the 1500 block of Centerpoint Drive around 10 p.m. Tuesday after a witness reported seeing several masked gunmen.
Officers stopped two separate vehicles near the residence, and found nine men inside. Three Airsoft guns were found inside one of the vehicles, while three more were found near the other.
The men inside the vehicles told the officers that they were retaliating for an “Airsoft raid” at Scarlett Commons on the MTSU campus.
The residents of the home on Centerpoint Drive also told officers that “everything was okay and that everyone was acting in good fun," according to the report.
“Its very fortunate deadly force wasn’t used last night against the people who thought they were playing a funny joke,” Murfreesboro Police Spokesman Kyle Evans said. “The area has, in the past, had acts of violence where random shots of gunfire has been fired or someone has been targeted."
All of the men, who were students at the university, were released. Several of them are current members of the MTSU football team.
“I’m more ashamed of how it makes MTSU look, it makes them look goofy,” said one witness.
Head Coach Rick Stockstill released a statement Wednesday about the incident:
"What started out as a playful prank by a group of freshmen could have turned into something worse. It's a valuable teaching lesson that I can use to help our young people. I talk to them daily about the violence going on in our country and how easily this could have turned into a similar situation. We will handle discipline internally.
"I am also very appreciative of the way Murfreesboro and University Police handled the situation and acted promptly."
NewsChannel 5 has chosen not to identify the players as no charges were filed.
