TMZ.com reports attack on Montee Ball may have been retaliation
MADISON -- TMZ.com is reporting according to sources, Wednesday morning's attack on Badgers running back Montee Ball may be in retaliation to a fight last week at a football player's home.
That's where an individual who is not a football player was reportedly beaten up.
Ball is denying the TMZ report. In a Tweet, he said: "The report that I was involved in a fight is totally false."
Madison police say they are aware of the rumor of the fight, and are investigating. They also continue to investigate the attack on Ball that left him with a concussion.
Ball was hospitalized following an attack early Wednesday morning, August 1st.
For residents and businesses near the attack site, this is just the latest incident in a long line.
For Corey Quade this latest incident that sent Ball to the hospital is just another in a long line of violent Incidents right outside his Erbert and Gerberts sandwich shop.
"There was a shooting. There was a fight in front of my store here a couple of weekends ago where there was a gun pulled and knife," Quade said.
Quade's sandwich shop near the intersection of University and Gilman is the same intersection where a witness who did not wish to go on camera claims they saw Ball lying on the ground.
According to Joel DeSpain, the Madison Police Department's Public Information Officer, Ball was on his way home at about 2:00 Wednesday morning. Two of his friends were walking ahead of him when he was attacked by five men.
DeSpain says they knocked him down and began punching and kicking him in the head. The attackers eventually ran away.
"There was one man who said he came running to the victim's aid and a woman who was also nearby who came running to help," DeSpain said.
The attackers were last seen running South on Francis Street toward the Kohl Center.
Police are still looking for the suspects, and more importantly, they're trying to put business owners and a community at ease after another violent incident downtown.
"We are very committed to making sure that this area is safe and we're going to put the resources to make sure that these people who are causing problems either go away or get arrested," DeSpain said.
All police can say about the attackers is they were all between 5'8 and 6'3. They were African American males and they ranged from small to heavy builds.
Coach Bret Bielema said Ball has been released and is under the care of the school’s sports medicine staff. Bielema says he expects Ball will make a full recovery, but did not address Ball’s availability. The season opens Sept. 1st against Northern Iowa.
Police say Ball apparently didn’t know who the men were.
In a Tweet, Ball said: “I appreciate the support, and thank you for the concerns. I will be okay! See you guys in September!”
Anyone who has more information should contact the Madison Police Department.
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