2 football players cited in Friday fight

Two members of the Duke football team were arrested and given misdemeanor charges after a fight broke out at Club 9 Friday night.

Junior wide receiver Eron Riley and freshman wide receiver Austin Kelly were cited with simple affray and resisting, delaying or obstructing, respectively. The players were attending a birthday celebration for another team member, students said.

Durham Police Department officers arrived at Club 9, located on Ninth Street, shortly after 1 a.m. to assist in an emergency medical services call regarding an unconscious girl, said Kammie Michael, DPD public information officer.

Upon arriving at the club, officers did not find a girl in need of medical assistance but witnessed Riley strike another man, she said, adding that the officer then arrested Riley, at which point a large, "unruly" crowd formed.

"The officers were trying to get the crowd to disperse, and one person, Austin Kelly, was told about 10 times to disperse and did not leave the area," Michael said.

"The most shocking thing was how many police cars were there [because] I've never seen that before in my life," said sophomore Rebecca Dell, who was inside the Erwin Square Apartments on Ninth Street and came outside to witness the scene after hearing the commotion. "It was out of a movie or something."

The Office of Student Affairs and the Department of Athletics officials declined to comment on the arrests. The criminal charges, however, could affect the players' National Collegiate Athletic Association standings as evidenced by similar cases across the country.

Last Fall, an Ohio State University football player was suspended after receiving a misdemeanor charge, and three Pennsylvania State University football players were temporarily kicked off the team after a campus fight.