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Alleged assault by Rutgers football players was caught on video, sources say

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The alleged assault that prompted charges against six former and current Rutgers University football players was captured on video, NJ Advance Media has learned

NEW BRUNSWICK -- The alleged April 25 assault that left one Rutgers University student with a broken jaw and prompted charges against six former and current Rutgers football players earlier this week was captured on video, NJ Advance Media has learned. 

According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, investigators with the New Brunswick Police Department were recently provided information as to the existence of video footage of the alleged attack. The source's details were confirmed by a second person with knowledge of the events. 


RELATEDRutgers coach Kyle Flood dismisses 5 arrested players

Investigators arrived at the Hale Center Football Training Facility on Aug. 28 where, according to the source, they confiscated cellular phones from an unknown number of team members. According to the source, investigators obtained a court-approved order to seize the phones prior to arriving at the facility. None of the players was questioned at the time, the sources said.

An unknown number of coaches was present at the Hale Center as the phones were being confiscated, one of the sources said. It was not clear if head football coach Kyle Flood was among them, the sources added.

A spokesman for Rutgers athletics director Julie Hermann said the investigation is part of an ongoing legal matter and the university would have no comment for this story. 

Citing the ongoing police investigation into the assaults, a university spokeswoman on Saturday declined to comment on whether Rutgers officials were made aware of the phone seizures. 


MORE: Rutgers coach Kyle Flood: Arrests of 5 players 'rips you apart inside'


Reached Friday, a spokesman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey declined to comment on the police investigation into the assault.

Earlier this week, Carey's office announced charges against four then current players -- cornerback Ruhann Peele, fullback Razohnn Gross, cornerback Nadir Barnwell and defensive back Delon Stephenson -- in connection to the alleged attack.

Three of the players were team starters prior to the filing of charges. Peele, Gross, Barnwell, Stephenson and cornerback Dre Boggs were all dismissed from the football program Saturday.

Authorities allege that former players Tejay Johnson and Daryl Stephenson also participated in the assault.

All now face a range of charges stemming from the attack, including aggravated assault, riot, and conspiracy to commit a riot. 

Authorities allege that the players surrounded a group of at least four other individuals and assaulted them during the "unprovoked" street attack one day after the team concluded spring camp with the Scarlet-White scrimmage. In the aftermath, a 19-year-old male student was left with a broken jaw, authorities said.

The revelation of the video's existence is just the latest wrinkle in a scandal that rocked the Rutgers University football program earlier this week. 

Authorities announced an investigation that led to a total of 10 suspects, 7 of whom were students, being charged in a variety of crimes related to the assault, home-invasion robberies, including one at gunpoint and an attempted robbery at a Livingston College dorm.  

A phone call to Nadir Barnwell, the player at the center of the university's investigation into Flood for a possible compliance violation, was unsuccessful. 

Reached by phone, Harvey Barnwell, the father of Nadir Barnwell, said, "Not now, sir, not now,'' and hung up.

Rutgers officials placed the seven students, including the five football players, on interim suspension from the university on Friday.  

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A timeline of events:


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