Attorneys demand answers after Cardinal Ritter players pepper-sprayed

ST. LOUIS — Attorneys representing 17 Cardinal Ritter College Prep football players and their families say they are launching an independent investigation after players, coaches and staff from the St. Louis school were pepper sprayed by police after some fighting at a game in Ohio last week.

In a statement Friday, attorneys Sean Walton, Michael Wright, Robert Gresham and Anthony Pierson said the families are “outraged” by the actions of the officers with the Massillon Police Department Massillon, saying they “took such drastic measures over high school football players having a disagreement on the field” after the Oct. 3 game against Massillon Washington High School.

“We have never heard of another incident where police officers pepper sprayed football players,” the attorneys said. “Interestingly, these officers did not pepper spray any Massillon Washington High School players, coaches or staff.”

The attorneys criticized both the Massillon Police Department and the Massillon City Schools superintendent for what they called a failure to take responsibility for the incident. They said that they will “leave no stone unturned” in determining why it occurred. They believe that this is not the first time that police department used unnecessary force. 

Video from the scene shows uniformed officers spraying Cardinal Ritter players as they backed away from the field after a postgame altercation. Witnesses said the conflict began during the handshake line and that coaches were trying to separate players when officers intervened.