Minot State University has suspended five football players after they got arrested for allegedly assaulting two Minot police officers.
Four of the five accused; Kwajo Bansu, 22, Thomas Armstrong, 19, Grant Jansent, 18 and Leon Ladeaux, 21, have been charged with two drug-related misdemeanors - marijuana possession and ingesting a controlled substance.
The fifth accused, 21-year-old Jesse Ili, 6-foot-tall, 220-pound linebacker for the Division II Beavers has been charged with three misdemeanors and three felony charges, including attempted murder. The athlete faces charges for fleeing the area and assaulting an officer.
"The one person who was ultimately arrested on the majority of the charges: He was the first one to flee. They were dealing with him and he fled on foot. They got him, but that is where the fight ensued," Capt. John Klug - Minot Police Department said.
The officers who sustained injuries during the Friday night incident were investigating a suspicious vehicle and probable drug activity in the 1300 block of Eighth Street Northwest about 8:45 p.m.
Klug said that although no weapons were used, the fight got very aggressive and serious.
According to ESPN, Ili is reported to have knocked one officer unconscious and left another with minor injuries before he was arrested.
The brawl occurred near the Valley Terrace Apartment complex on 8th Street.
"That physical altercation led to some significant injuries to one of the officers and ultimately, one of the officers was knocked out and taken to Trinity. The other officer had minor injuries," Klug said.
Both officers received treatment at Trinity Health hospital and have been released.
Klug said that attempted murder charge was slapped on Ili after discussing with the state's attorney.
"One officer was knocked unconscious by Mr. Ili," said Klug. "The action by Ili justified the attempted murder charge. The decision was made by the Ward County State's Attorney."
"There is a sixth person who we have not ID'd yet. We are hoping at some point that person comes forward or we get the information needed to ID who that person is," Klug said.
