Pirates fans say police too forceful

ECU stormed field after Saturday's win

GREENVILLE -- Police officials at East Carolina University are investigating reports that officers used excessive force as fans stormed the football field after a Pirates victory.

Witnesses described police hitting fans and throwing some to the ground after the Pirates beat West Virginia on Saturday, The Daily Reflector of Greenville reported Monday.

Video footage showed one officer hitting someone on the ground with his fist.

University police Chief Scott Shelton said investigators are reviewing photos and videotape and interviewing witnesses.

Shelton said in a written statement that police were told that if fans tried to come onto the field, they should try to deter them by making themselves visible but were to step back if that failed.

"Obviously, the safety of the students, fans and athletes at the game is our first concern," Shelton said. "It is simply unacceptable that anyone at the game is the victim of excessive force."

One alumnus said he was handcuffed and arrested as he ran with friends onto the field.

Matt Ottinger, 27, of Goldsboro, said he was treated roughly by a Kinston police officer. Ottinger said the officer accused him of knocking him down. Three officers tackled Ottinger, and he was taken to jail, he said.

"I was just running like everybody else," Ottinger said. He said that if he knocked the officer down, it was accidental.

Michael Jones of New Bern said he watched from his seat as some officers hit people on the field.

"It was the most repulsive thing I've ever seen," said Jones, who has two children attending the university. "Those kids weren't doing anything wrong."

East Carolina graduate Rachelle Friedman said she saw a student on the ground with an officer's knee in his back.

"This was a huge win for ECU. No one was being dangerous. All [law enforcement] needed to do was organize it," Friedman said.