Penn football player is allegedly called a racial slur, charged with simple assault after confrontation

UPDATE: The headline of this article has been updated to reflect that the simple assault charge came after Cameron Countryman was allegedly called a racial slur. He has since accepted anger management class and his charges were dropped. Countryman never went to trial for the incident.

Penn football wide receiver Cameron Countryman, a College junior, has been charged with assault and has been suspended from the team.

Countryman was charged Tuesday with simple assault and reckless endangerment of another person after an off-campus incident on Sept. 28 between two male students, according to a statement from the University.

Countryman’s suspension will remain in place “until the matter has been adjudicated by the Criminal Justice system and the University’s student disciplinary process has concluded,” the statement said.

Countryman declined to comment on the charges when reached by phone Tuesday night.

Late Tuesday night, CBS 3 in Philadelphia reported that the other person involved in the incident was an unidentified fellow Penn student athlete.

CBS 3 cited police reports that claim the incident began when a Penn student shouted racial slurs at Countryman and shoved him as he walked down the street at 2 a.m. A third student — the aforementioned student athlete — attemped to intervene. Countryman then allegedly punched the student athlete and knocked him to the ground.

The student athlete was treated and released at HUP for an injury to his eye orbit.

The Division of Public Safety declined to comment beyond the University’s statement.

According to the docket filed in the Municipal Court of Philadelphia County, Countryman was arrested Tuesday, and released on his own recognizance. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 10.

Countryman, a Calif., native, did not travel with the team last Saturday to Hanover, N.H., for Penn’s 31-13 loss to Dartmouth in its Ivy opener and did not record a reception in the Quakers’ prior two contests. For his career, Countryman has made 12 receptions for 178 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s a private matter,” coach Al Bagnoli said. “It’s going through the correct process both on campus and out of campus. Until it gets resolved, technically he is suspended and not available for team practices and games.”

Check back for updates.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.