Football Max Melton & Chris Long Suspended

[theRU]

UPDATE:

Rutgers football players Max Melton, Chris Long suspended, Greg Schiano says

Rutgers football players Max Melton and Chris Long have been suspended following an incident involving a paint ball gun.

www.app.com

Kenneth Cop, Rutgers University Police Department Chief, released the following statement:

"On Monday, September 20, 2021, at approximately 10:00 PM, the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) responded to the area of Livingston Campus in the Township of Piscataway for the report of three student victims that were struck with paintballs discharged from a motor vehicle. The three victims sustained minor injuries and declined further medical attention on scene. An investigation completed by the RUPD resulted in the arrest of two male suspects on September 21, 2021.

Malachi M. Melton, a 19-year-old resident of Toms River, NJ, and Christopher M. Long, a 19-year-old resident of Willingboro, NJ, have been charged with three counts of Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. Both were released on their own recognizance with summonses to appear in Middlesex County Superior Court on November 4, 2021, at 8:45 AM."

Idiots...that's all that can be said. Really just immature meathead behavior as far as I'm concerned

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Someone called the police, which makes me think it wasn't just horsing around with people they knew. Or at least one of the people hit wasn't a friend of theirs.

Possibly - though anyone in the area could’ve heard the shots and made the call to campus police.

 

[hughthompson]

At minimum, I would say they will remain suspended until their court appearance.

Well if they can't play till after the court date they are going to miss substantial time(games) maybe they should take a redshirt and sit the season out as they have only played 3 games.

 

[MadRU]

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Well if they can't play till after the court date they are going to miss substantial time(games) maybe they should take a redshirt and sit the season out as they have only played 3 games.

If they aren’t playing again until November they probably won’t play again at all this season. It’ll either be a game or 2 suspension or the whole season.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Maybe they are new and weren’t told all the rules ?

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[Greene Rice FIG]

Jacob Young gets a DUI and misses one game in a 30+ game season.

In my eyes it appears this is no where near that bad. Maybe I am missing something

 

[Rutgers Chris]

Jacob Young gets a DUI and misses one game in a 30+ game season.

In my eyes it appears this is no where near that bad. Maybe I am missing something

Incredibly stupid but you can also count me in the category as not as bad

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Jacob Young gets a DUI and misses one game in a 30+ game season.

In my eyes it appears this is no where near that bad. Maybe I am missing something

Completely agree.

 

[rurichdog]

Reported. Assault.

 

[RepeatedCrown6]

The amount of snowflakes in this thread is alarming

 

[Ataylor1989x]

One night after work I stopped to get a bit inside a White Castle. There were a table or two of young people nearby when I was eating. They were having fun and being loud, and I didn’t care. Then suddenly they were looking outside at a car of someone they clearly knew and they yelled, “oh shit get down he’s got a gun”. Everyone ducks under their tables, including me. I could hear the pop of shots, and the clinks against the windows because it Turned out they were shooting BBs.

Soon everything was back to normal, and I left and told the young people that this shit isn’t funny. I left that night with a lower opinion of young people.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Incredibly stupid but you can also count me in the category as not as bad

Both are stupid.

Jacob could have used UBER.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Haven't read all 6 pages, so maybe this has been said.....if the players were white offensive linemen I wonder if they would be playing against Michigan.

Nothing to do with Schiano, but the calling of the police.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Haven't read all 6 pages, so maybe this has been said.....if the players were white offensive linemen I wonder if they would be playing against Michigan.

😖

 

[Steveriknight]

I would guess they are done for the season.

Coach needs to make an example of them. That this sort of bs behavior will result in the end of your playing time for the rest of the season. They need to be spanked hard enough that all the other players think twice about what they do for jokes.

 

[RUGuitarMan]

I did some really dumb things when I was at RU but usually connected to significant alcohol consumption. If they weren’t in an altered state of mind and sober this is a very strange , kind of disturbing thing to do. I don’t think either one will see the field again this year. Anyway, any news on the health of Patrice Rene? That would help on the field.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Jacob Young gets a DUI and misses one game in a 30+ game season.

In my eyes it appears this is no where near that bad. Maybe I am missing something

Agreed - different times or not, the movie Home Alone is still rated PG (didn’t the kid have access to a BB gun in one of them - rendering it an accessible household item to have around in a popular family movie)? I’m not saying this was acceptable behavior - just that it was likely intended as a dumb prank and nothing more. Yes - someone can absolutely get hurt by horsing around with one, but kids throw rocks and sticks in the park all the time too and someone at the wrong place and time could also get very hurt from those items.

Unfortunately, NJ law says otherwise (this calls for mandatory jail time vs the DUI) so that may come into play on the outcome here.

 

[CuredbywinningRU]

I would be shocked if they play until after the Nov 4 hearing unless some pre-hearing intervention takes place (if it's even allowed) and even then I doubt it. What they did was beyond stupid and could have blinded or otherwise very seriously injured some college kids. And since I believe what they are charged with is a felony, I would be surprised if they play again this year. Even though it may be based on immature stupidity, under the law this is treated as serious stuff (as it should be due to the potential serious consequences) and I believe RU will treat it accordingly.

 

[RepeatedCrown6]

I would guess they are done for the season.

Coach needs to make an example of them. That this sort of bs behavior will result in the end of your playing time for the rest of the season. They need to be spanked hard enough that all the other players think twice about what they do for jokes.

Found the guy who wears a mask in his car alone ^^^^

 

[CuredbywinningRU]

Agreed - different times or not, the movie Home Alone is still rated PG (didn’t the kid have access to a BB gun in one of them - rendering it an accessible household item to have around in a popular family movie)? I’m not saying this was acceptable behavior - just that it was likely intended as a dumb prank and nothing more. Yes - someone can absolutely get hurt by horsing around with one, but kids throw rocks and sticks in the park all the time too and someone at the wrong place and time could also get very hurt from those items.

Unfortunately, NJ law says otherwise (this calls for mandatory jail time vs the DUI) so that may come into play on the outcome here.

This is much worse than a DUI as I don't think a DUI is a felony, but this conduct I believe is.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

I would be shocked if they play until after the Nov 4 hearing unless some pre-hearing intervention takes place (if it's even allowed) and even then I doubt it. What they did was beyond stupid and could have blinded or otherwise very seriously injured some college kids. And since I believe what they are charged with is a felony, I would be surprised if they play again this year. Even though it may be based on immature stupidity, under the law this is treated as serious stuff (as it should be due to the potential serious consequences) and I believe RU will treat it accordingly.

Driving while intoxicated can also seriously injure or kill people.

 

[WhiteBus]

Highly doubt it. Maybe two games

Shouting at innocent, random people doesn't get a slap on the

It was likely a prank to kids they knew. Everyone involved declined medical treatment. None the less, it was still incredibly stupid.

It was a drive by. I'm sure they didn't know anyone randomly walking around at 10pm. Where do you get any connection between refusing medical treatment and them knowing the people that got hit?? Makes zero sense at all. They had no problem calling the police!

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Found the guy who wears a mask in his car alone ^^^^

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

 

[Plum Street]

Between practice , film study , school and study hall these guys would be tired and just want to chill out and watch Monday Night Football. Instead , let’s drive around Livingston and shoot paintball guns.

 

[RUSK97]

Ridiculous that some people are suggesting they should be thrown off the team. That said, this is a serious lapse in judgement, particularly a few days before a big game. I hope Bo and Gary take Max behind the woodshed and tan his hide.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Shouting at innocent, random people doesn't get a slap on the
It was a drive by. I'm sure they didn't know anyone randomly walking around at 10pm. Where do you get any connection between refusing medical treatment and them knowing the people that got hit?? Makes zero sense at all. They had no problem calling the police!

Did I miss somewhere that the article says it was one of the victims that called the police and not someone in the area who heard the shots?

 

[MADHAT1]

OK a couple of things about that. NJ is ridiculous in it's hatred for guns. So much so that airsoft and paintball guns - neither of which are deadly weapons - are called weapons. It's the height of stupidity. That said the law needs to be followed and these two screwed up - even though that law is unjust and silly when applied to toys that aren't weapons.

They might be done for the year just due to the anti-gun hysteria of NJ.

Sucks. Max was looking to have a great future here.

gun control needs to tell the difference from guns and toys that shoot projectiles.
The one fits all charge is not the way to apply any type of gun law and makes a case to oppose gun control.

I'll wait to hear the facts in this incident before I say if what Max and Chris did was a criminal act or just overreaction by the police because they had to follow a unjust gun law that made stupid horseplay into a crime because a toy is by law considered a deadly weapon.

Edit, found out in a post I didn't see when posting this that it was a drive by paint ball shootings.
I'll now call this incident a stupid horseplay mistake made into a major crime because of a stupid law that doesn't take into account what should be considered a toy and what should be considered a deadly weapon.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Shouting at innocent, random people doesn't get a slap on the
It was a drive by. I'm sure they didn't know anyone randomly walking around at 10pm. Where do you get any connection between refusing medical treatment and them knowing the people that got hit?? Makes zero sense at all. They had no problem calling the police!

The connection is simply that there are a lot of people out there that would go through the motions of accepting medical treatment in that situation (if it was random) even if not terribly injured to leave open (strengthen) the possibility for a lawsuit. It’s sad that people think like this but it’s reality.

 

[RUSK97]

How about the Billboard?

View embedded media

That's up to Paladino and DevCo I would think. They can always paint a bag over Max's face.

 

[Bagarocks]

If it was Agg assault, there was someone (victim) involved and they were not simply shooting at property which would be criminal mischief.

Since a paintball gun is a weapon it becomes a minimum 3rd degree indictable offense.

 

[RUTGERS95]

I would never point my guns at someone unless I intend to shoot. And as a matter of common sense I'd never put myself in a position where I'd accidentally point at someone. So it's a moot point.

lol, big swing and miss

 

[Steveriknight]

Found the guy who wears a mask in his car alone ^^^^

No I don't you Herb... and what the heck does that have to do with what I said?

I happen to manage a large group of people... and something that reflects poorly on the whole organization like this cannot go unpunished, in my opinion. It's how I would maintain control of subordinates.. to make an example of bad behavior to discourage the rest of the staff from doing something similar.

 

[Bagarocks]

#4 - NJ thinks that paintball gun was a firearm.

I'll retract that as they seem to try to call it a weapon and not a firearm.

Paintball gun is a weapon under NJ law. Not a firearm.

 

[Eagleton96]

If the victims were friends of the assailants, then 3 game suspension. If they didn't know them, a full year.

I'll set the over/under at a 5 game suspension.

 

[Bagarocks]

Holy hell this is stupid. I don't care if they were firing rubber bands, wtf are they doing out screwing around at 10pm the week of their biggest game.

Let me start with 19 years old

 

[RepeatedCrown6]

No I don't you Herb... and what the heck does that have to do with what I said?

I happen to manage a large group of people... and something that reflects poorly on the whole organization like this cannot go unpunished, in my opinion. It's how I would maintain control of subordinates.. to make an example of bad behavior to discourage the rest of the staff from doing something similar.

You sound like you are in charge of slaves in the 1800s, jeez man.

 

[RUTGERS95]

You are a seriously disturbed individual.

nah, you;'re just part of the problem with the exaggerated faux rage and holier than though nanny state we see today

was it stupid, yes
was it kids being kids, yes
no one hurt, slap the wrists, some cs and move on

 

[RUDead]

This is much worse than a DUI as I don't think a DUI is a felony, but this conduct I believe is.

C'mon, that's ridiculous. It's just a prank.

I would rather be attacked in a Max Melton paintball driveby incident than run into a drunk driver.

 

[WhiteBus]

The connection is simply that there are a lot of people out there that would go through the motions of accepting medical treatment in that situation (if it was random) even if not terribly injured to leave open (strengthen) the possibility for a lawsuit. It’s sad that people think like this but it’s reality.

Maybe it's because none of them were injured bad enough to require medical attention. That is much more likey!