Brody's Notes... Four Colorado State University Students Beaten By Footballers Yelling Homophobic Epithets

By Brody Levesque | FORT COLLINS, Colorado -- Four young male students of Colorado State University are recovering still from injuries inflicted by three fellow CSU students who are also football players early Saturday morning. According to the young men, the quartet was returning to their dorms from a party when a verbal confrontation with a passing vehicle escalated into violence.

During an interview with a Denver television station, John 'JD' Haley, one of the four youths attacked said; "It wasn't really much of a fight. It was basically just a beating. I've never seen anyone so mad, so violent. The kid was on a rampage." Haley, 19, suffered a black eye, cuts and bruises while trying to protect one of his friends during the attack. Haley also told the station that Fort Collins and University police officials have asked them not to specifically identify their attackers, but he said "they all know who their attackers are because some of them live in the same residence hall."

A Fort Collins police spokesperson acknowledged to LGBTQNation by phone Monday that uniformed officers had responded to a call near the CSU campus after a call to 911 to reporting unknown persons had just been beat up by a bunch of CSU football players.

Another of the victims, Danny Gocha, still has swollen eyes and the level of violence is marked by a clearly visible shoe print on his back. Haley was injured trying to protect Gocha.

Haley said they were leaving a party and were headed back to their dorm when an SUV loaded with fellow students drove past, its occupants yelling homophobic insults. When Gocha responded with the same insult, the SUV screeched to a halt and several men piled out, Haley said. "You could just tell they were looking for a fight," Haley said. "They just started beating the back of Donny's head in."

Haley said he and their other two friends tried to protect Gocha while the much larger men kicked and punched him. "I covered Donny's head with my body," Haley said. "We were all scared for his life. It froze me. You can't really put into words how disturbing it was. My only thought was to protect his head."

Members of the football team have been apologizing all weekend to the four students about the incident that happened late Friday night in Fort Collins. CSU football player Trey Cassidy posted on Facebook that he worried the public would paint the entire team with the same brush. 

"Well first off, I want to apologize for what my teammates have done to three students last night. I just talked to the students who were assaulted. I hang out in their hall regularly, and do not believe that there is any hostility between us," Cassidy wrote on a Facebook group where Haley had posted photos of his injuries. "I figured everyone else should know that not everyone on the team are like these athletes that get into fights every other weekend. But it is this select few... that get the rest of us labeled as a group, you would assume that everyone on campus would realize this. But let's face reality people, some people are going to label the entire team as hot headed people that can't be trusted." 

Cassidy later added: "A group of football players jumped a few students, I am not allowed to really get into it but I can say they are currently suspended."

The Head Football Coach for the university, Jim McElwain, in a press release Saturday, announced that he suspended three student-athletes for violation of team rules: junior defensive end Nordly Capi, junior linebacker Mike Orakpo and junior defensive end Colton Paulhus. McElwain has barred reporters from trying to contact football players without his permission, and refused to elaborate on his decision.

CSU spokesman Mike Hooker on Sunday said university officials are coordinating with Fort Collins Police on an investigation. 

"If there's truth to these allegations, the university absolutely does not condone this kind of behavior," Hooker said. "At this point, the university can't comment on the investigation by the police, but they are very serious allegations."
And in a Facebook post, CSU's vice president for student affairs, Jody Donovan, said that once police finish their investigation, they will forward the report to the university's conflict resolution and student conduct services, which will also conduct an investigation.

"Depending upon the results of this investigation, sanctions will be applied," Donovan wrote in response to Haley's postings about the assaults. "Students who violate the law or university policies are held accountable for their actions. Colorado State University does not tolerate this behavior." ~ 9News.com Denver