Prosecutors have charged a 19-year-old St. Paul man in connection with an assault on a University of Minnesota hockey player in September.
He faces one count of third-degree assault in Hennepin County.
According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement arrived near Fourth Street Southeast and 16th Avenue Southeast just before 10 p.m. on September 20. They found the hockey player on the ground, bleeding from his mouth and face.
A witness reported seeing two men yelling at the hockey player about his shirt. The witness began to walk away but turned back to see the player lying on the ground.
Surveillance video showed the St. Paul man and another individual talking with the hockey player and the witness. As the player started to walk away, the St. Paul man punched him in the face, then struck him two more times as he fell backward.
The hockey player was hospitalized for his injuries, which included multiple facial fractures requiring surgery and significant vision loss. Sources previously told WCCO there were concerns the injuries could end his playing career.
In October, Gophers men’s hockey coach Bob Motzko declined to discuss the incident but confirmed the player had returned to the ice.
“My goodness, can he skate. Like, he is electric level of skating. And we hope very soon that he’s going to be back,” Motzko said. “It’s really noticeable and we’re excited to get him back.”
Leave a Reply