Incident Involving Notre Dame Coach Captured on Video
The Mishawaka Police Department in Indiana has made public security footage of a reported confrontation on January 3 between Marcus Freeman, head football coach at Notre Dame, and Chris Freeger, an assistant coach at New Prairie, during a high school wrestling tournament.
A 50-second clip released by WSBT 22 shows somewhat unclear footage of the incident occurring near an exit of the gym. At around the 14-second mark, both coaches appear to be engaged in conversation, though the absence of audio leaves their exchange ambiguous.
Freeger filed a complaint claiming that Freeman both assaulted him and his son, Vinny, who was wrestling that day. However, after reviewing the police investigation, prosecutors announced on Monday that Freeman would not face charges. They stated, “No criminal violence occurred. Therefore, no criminal charges will be filed against Mr. Freeman,” according to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office.
The South Bend Tribune originally reported on the incident, which allegedly took place after Vinny lost a match. According to the police report, tensions flared when Freeman and Freeger took items into the hallway. Freeman’s wife, Joanna, reportedly engaged in a heated argument with Freeger, prompting local law enforcement and school officials to separate the parties involved.
Moreover, the prosecutor’s report mentions that Freeger had previously attempted to recruit Vinny to wrestle at another school and had shown frustration towards the Freeman family. Witnesses claimed he had even urged other wrestlers to confront Freeman’s son, though Freeger denies making any such threats.
In response to the situation, Notre Dame issued a statement backing Freeman and calling the complaints “unfounded.” The statement highlighted that Vinny was verbally attacked and clarified that Freeman did not engage physically with anyone at any point. They expressed confidence that the police report and video evidence would fully clear Freeman of any wrongdoing.
