Mpls. youth basketball team could face future ban following assault arrests

Posted: 2:30 p.m. | Updated: 4:05 p.m.

Police in Wichita, Kan., said members of a youth basketball team run by a Minneapolis nonprofit assaulted homeless people and others while in town for a tournament over the weekend. Organizers for the tournament said any team or individuals associated with that sort of behavior would be disqualified from future events.

The Urban Stars Athletics basketball team, run by Minneapolis-based nonprofit Urban Ventures, was in town to compete in the Mid America Youth Basketball championship over the weekend.

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Wichita police responded to reports of a group of young men attacking people near the city's downtown at about 10 p.m. on Sunday, according to Lt. James Espinoza, Wichita Police Department spokesperson.

Police said the group of between eight and ten teens insulted and threw rocks, stones and concrete at three homeless people. When one of the victims ran, he was tripped, punched and kicked by some members of the group. The man sustained some head injuries, according to Espinoza. Another 32-year-old man was knocked off a bike and beaten.

Police arrested at least six boys and one adult man associated with the Urban Stars basketball team, Espinoza said.

One 13-year-old boy was arrested for simple battery and obstruction because police said he lied about his name. Another 13-year-old, two 14-year-olds, two 15-year-olds and an 18-year old were also arrested for possible misdemeanors following the incident but have been released, according to police. The players have not been charged with crimes.

"It was somewhat of a mob mentality. We had these individuals going after some people who were minding their own business," Espinoza said. "We're talking about very, very poor supervision from these adults and coaches, they ought to be ashamed of themselves for not monitoring these kids."

In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Urban Ventures CEO Timothy Clark said the players ditched a team chaperone on Sunday night while she was doing their laundry.

He said staff were "dismayed" at the behavior of the players, all of whom have been released to their parents.

"We believe that participants, staff and volunteers need to be held accountable for their actions and the youth will go through our discipline process," Clark said.

Mid America Youth Basketball Tournament's organizers said they're waiting for more information from police, but that any team found to have engaged in this sort of behavior would be disqualified from future tournaments.

"We do not condone this type of behavior," said tournament marketing director Layne Frick. "Whatever team is involved or whatever individuals are involved, we definitely don't want them to be part of our tournament in the future."

The annual tournament has been going on for about 15 years. The 2015 tournament included about 5,000 players from across the country, including about 20 teams from Minnesota.