Delaware State University, a historically Black college, says women’s lacrosse team was racially profiled during Georgia traffic stop

The team’s bus was headed north on Interstate 95 in Liberty County on April 20 following a game in Florida when it was stopped “under the pretext of a minor traffic violation,” Delaware State University President Tony Allen said in a statement. Liberty County is on Georgia’s coast, south of Savannah.

The stop happened as part of the department’s “commercial interdiction detail,” Bowman, who is Black, said Tuesday in a news conference, adding other commercial vehicles were stopped that day, including a bus where “contraband” was found.

A K-9 unit was part of the detail, and after the Delaware State bus was stopped, “an alert was given by the K-9,” prompting the search, Bowman said.

“We were not aware that this stop was received as racial profiling,” Bowman said. “Although I do not believe any racial profiling took place based on the information I currently have, I welcome feedback from our community on ways that our law enforcement practices can be improved while still maintaining the law.”

“Everyone was confused as to why they were looking through the luggage, when there was no probable cause,” Anderson wrote.

“The team members were in shock, as they witnessed the officers rambling through their bags. They brought the K-9 dog out to sniff their luggage. The cops began tossing underwear and other feminine products, in an attempt to locate narcotics,” she said.

The deputies spent 20 minutes checking the bags and said they were doing so “in case of child trafficking or drugs,” Anderson said.

The sheriff, however, said, “No personal items on the bus or persons were searched.”

“A K-9 sniff on the exterior of the vehicle is not a search under the Fourth Amendment … and does cause us to provide search of the vehicle,” Bowman said Tuesday. “Once aboard, the deputies informed the passengers that the search would be completed. This is the same protocol that is expected to be used no matter the race, gender, age or destination of the passenger.”

Video shows deputies on the bus

One deputy can be heard saying, “If there is anything in y’all’s luggage, we’re probably going to find it — OK. I’m not looking for a little bit of marijuana, but I’m pretty sure you guys ‘ chaperones are probably going to be disappointed in you if we find any.”

The officer continued: “So, if there is something in there that’s questionable, please tell me now. Because if we find it, guess what — we’re not going to be able to help you. You are in the state of Georgia ; marijuana is still illegal.”

CNN has not been able to confirm what happened before the filming started or what happened after the recording stopped. CNN also requested additional clips of the incident from the university and was told by the university’s director of News Services, Carlos Holmes, that other video exists but the quality was poor.

The deputies involved were not identified by the sheriff during the news conference.

“Before entering the motorcoach, the deputy was not aware that this school was historically Black or aware of the race of the occupants due to the height of the vehicle and tinted windows,” Bowman said Tuesday.

“More than anything, we want feedback from the passengers of the Delaware State University Lacrosse Team on what communication approaches can be considered that we simply may not be aware of,” the sheriff said.

CNN reached out to Delaware State University for comment following the news conference held by the Liberty County sheriff.

Allen called the incident a “humiliating process” and said the university is “exploring options for recourse — legal and otherwise — available to our student-athletes, our coaches, and the University.”

“We do not intend to let this or any other incident like it pass idly by. We are prepared to go wherever the evidence leads us. We have video. We have allies. Perhaps more significantly, we have the courage of our convictions,” he said in the statement.