Canadian police announced Monday that four suspects have been arrested red-handed. NHL players A former player faces sexual assault charges in connection with a 2018 incident after a comprehensive investigation launched three years after the initial probe concluded unearthed additional evidence and new information. was indicted for.
London, Ont., Police Chief Tai Truong opened a press conference Monday by explaining the long process that led to the incident. philadelphia flyers The incident occurred when netminder Carter Hart, Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube, New Jersey Devils’ Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, and former NHL player Alex Formenton were members of Hockey Canada’s World Juniors. He was charged with sexual assault. 2018 team.
Michael McLeod of the New Jersey Devils celebrates a goal during the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Prudential Center on May 7, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Troung said the victim met “the defendant and several teammates” at a bar in downtown London after the incident. hockey canada The victim was then invited to a hotel room where she was allegedly sexually assaulted.
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The initial investigation ran from June 2018 to February 2019, and was closed after investigators at the time determined there was “no sufficient basis for charges,” Tuong said.
“On behalf of London Police, I would like to sincerely apologize to the victim and her family for the length of time it has taken to get to this point,” he added, before answering questions from the media.
“As a police officer who has worked in this field for many years, I can tell you that this is a difficult and difficult situation for all victims and survivors of sexual violence.”
The Canadian flag is raised after Team Canada defeated Team Sweden at the IIHF World Junior Championship at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 31, 2022. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Law enforcement faced several questions regarding the initial investigation process and the length of time it took to file charges. When asked if there was a mistake in the initial investigation, Tun said he apologized to the victims because the process took so long to get to this point.
“We apologize to the victims and their families because it took this long. It should not have taken this long. It should not have taken years to reach today’s results. Sexual violence in many areas Once you have created the ‘All Victims of Victims are Victims’ form, you won’t have to wait this long. ”
He then added: “Like any other police service, we are moving forward as a police service and striving to get better at investigating sexual assault every day.” “And I can tell you that our commitment is strong now and will continue to be every day. We will strive to be better, and we should.”
NHL commissioner responds to 4 players accused of sexual assault as police prepare for press conference
Detective Sgt. Katherine Dunn said at a press conference that on the morning of June 19, 2018, law enforcement received a call from someone related to the victim “seeking advice regarding a sexual assault.” This led to the initial investigation.
Flyers goaltender Carter Hart looks for a spilled puck during a game against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derrick Hamilton)
Ms Dunn said London Police had “elected to review” the case in July 2022, which she was tasked with leading.The review yielded new information and ultimately He was indicted last week.
“I would like to make it clear that the victims in this case have fully participated in this investigation from the time it was first reported to police until today,” Dunn said. “When the case was reopened in 2022, our team explored investigative opportunities in addition to the 2018 investigation. Those leads were followed up. Additional witnesses were also interviewed and more We have collected evidence.”
“I can confirm that some of this evidence was not available when the investigation concluded in 2019,” she added. “This is one investigation, not two investigations. The evidence collected in 2018 and 2019 is newly assembled to form a reasonable and probable basis to charge these five individuals with sexual assault.” It was used in conjunction with the evidence provided.”
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Law enforcement officials are not going into details because the case is ongoing.
The four NHL players have taken indefinite leave from their respective clubs. Lawyers for all five defendants denied any wrongdoing on their behalf.
Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames prepares for a matchup against the Florida Panthers at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Alberta, Canada, on December 18, 2023. (Leah Hennel/Getty Images)
The player’s lawyer appears virtually. london, ontario Monday morning court. None of the players appeared virtually or in person. The attorneys agreed to waive the reading of the indictment, and the next court date was scheduled for April 30th.
The judge also issued an order prohibiting those involved from publicly sharing personal information about the accuser or key witnesses.
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