Concern on campus as Michigan State football players face sexual assault accusations

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WJBK) - All the buzz on campus at Michigan State University is the exact opposite of what anyone would want. Three Spartan football players are suspended along with a staffer, and they all could face criminal charges.

The three players and staffer were suspended as police investigate an alleged sexual assault that occured last month on campus.

"I've heard a few names and it's really sad because we've had a lot of awareness and it's still going on. It's like when is it going to stop," MSU Freshman Haley Hein said.

Throughout East Lansing, students are talking about the allegations surrounding the football team.

"(It's) extremely concerning. More concerning if it was just the players for sure. That implies there were cover ups. That implies other staff members might have known and they didn't do anything about it, so it's a longer trail," MSU Sophomore Jeff Chadwick said. "It's kind of like everyone is waiting for the rest of the story. It's not a good vibe obviously. Everyone is kind of preparing for bad or the worst."

Chadwick and other students say they're waiting to learn more about the allegations and who is involved.

"It's real disappointing. It's really something we don't want attached with the name of our university. It seems like it's an ongoing trend too, kind of," MSU Junior James Claiborne said.

The three football players have been suspended from school and removed from on-campus housing. The staff member on the team has also been suspended.

The complaint was made last month and Michigan State University Police are investigating the case.

The names of the players involved have not been released. The staffer, Curtis Blackwell, was suspened earlier this week.

According the personnel at MSU, the school has retained a law firm to conduct an investigation into the football staff program staff members. Our calls to university officials on Friday have not been returned.

Authorities are not commenting on camera at this time. The Ingham County Prosecutor is requesting more evidence from Police to review.