COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -Missouri guard Jason Horton was arrested Friday on an assault charge connected to a weekend brawl that left his teammate with a broken jaw.
The 21-year-old Horton faces a charge of third-degree misdemeanor assault on an unidentified 26-year-old man in connection with the early-morning fight at the Athena nightclub in downtown Columbia.
The Jan. 27 incident left senior Stefhon Hannah, the Tigers’ leading scorer the past two seasons, with a broken jaw. Hannah is out at least one month and could miss the rest of the season.
Horton was arrested at his off-campus apartment Friday afternoon, taken to police headquarters and released on a summons to appear in court.
In addition to the victim, another witness identified Horton as punching the victim “multiple times” in the face, Capt. Brad Nelson, investigative commander for the Columbia Police Department said. Horton was not defending Hannah or any of his other teammates, Nelson said.
Horton, a senior, is one of five players suspended indefinitely by coach Mike Anderson for violating curfew and a team rule against visiting certain bars and nightclubs.
Forwards Marshall Brown, Darryl Butterfield and Leo Lyons also were suspended, as was Hannah, who remains in his hometown of Chicago as he recovers from surgery.
Playing with six scholarship players and two walk-ons, Missouri (12-9, 2-4 Big 12) lost 66-62 to Nebraska on Wednesday. The Tigers face No. 22 Kansas State (15-4, 5-0) in a home game Saturday.
After the loss to Nebraska, which had been winless in conference play, Anderson said he would reconsider whether to extend the player suspensions. But that was before Horton’s arrest.
A team spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“There are probably going to be additional arrests,” said Nelson, who added the investigation continues.
According to police, the initial investigation was hindered by the reluctance of the estimated 20 to 30 people gathered outside the nightclub to cooperate. Investigators have since spoken to several witnesses, Nelson said, including Brown, Butterfield and Lyons.
They have not interviewed Hannah other than a brief conversation in the hospital.
“We certainly want to speak with him again,” Nelson said.
He added Hannah and Horton’s three teammates were not involved in any physical disturbance.
“As far as the actual assault and disturbance, they didn’t have any involvement,” Nelson said.
The fight happened just hours after the Tigers returned from a 66-62 victory at Colorado, the team’s first road win this season.
The nightclub altercation is the latest in a series of off-court incidents involving Missouri players since Anderson was hired less than two years ago.
Butterfield was suspended – for one exhibition game – after an arrest for punching a former girlfriend. He pleaded guilty and received a suspended sentence and six months’ probation when the charge was downgraded to peace disturbance.
DeMarre Carroll, Anderson’s nephew, was shot in the ankle outside a downtown club while trying to break up a fight. Mike Anderson Jr., the coach’s son and a backup guard, was arrested for DUI last year and suspended for a game.
And Kalen Grimes, the school’s leading rebounder and starting center last season, was dismissed from the team after being arrested for hitting a man in the face with the butt of a shotgun in St. Louis in July.
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