Tuskegee University coach Benjy Taylor was handcuffed and escorted off the floor by police after his team’s 77-69 loss Saturday at Morehouse College in a shocking sequence that punctuated a hard-fought battle between the two Division II HBCU rivals. The incident, caught on video, took place after Taylor and an individual wearing a police uniform shared a brief exchange, which quickly escalated as the officer grabbed his handcuffs from his belt and put them on Taylor.
HBCU Gameday reported that football players from Morehouse came onto the floor following the game’s conclusion, which prompted Taylor to approach security over its handling of the situation. Tuskegee AD Reginald Ruffin told HBCU Gameday that Taylor was simply trying to make sure conference-mandated security protocols were being enforced and that Taylor was concerned about a security breach.
“I am at a loss for words and I am upset about how I was violated and treated today,” Taylor told the Field of 68. “For my players, my family and people of Tuskegee to witness that is heartbreaking for me. I was simply trying to get the football team out of the handshake line as they were following right behind me and the team yelling obscenities! It was a very dangerous situation.”
Video of the incident shows Taylor in a state of bewilderment as he appears to react in real-time to being told he is being handcuffed. His shock quickly turned into a smile, seemingly laughing at how outrageous the situation was.
Taylor was later released and was able to make the trip back home on the Tuskegee team bus.
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