Several charged for threatening CSU player who injured Travis Hunter in Week 3 Colorado football win
Five people were identified and charged by the Fort Collins police department for threatening CSU defensive back Henry Blackburn after he injured Travis Hunter in a Week 3 Rocky Mountain Showdown victory for Colorado football.
"Police in Fort Collins have identified five people accused of making threats toward a Colorado State University football player after the team's game against the University of Colorado in September," reported 9News's Nate Lynn. "Fort Collins Police Services said the player, previously identified as safety Henry Blackburn, received about 7,000 threats on social media that varied in severity and nature. The threats prompted a police investigation that led to the identification of an adult and four juveniles, who now face misdemeanor charges."
As Fort Collins Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said, physical threats to a player would not be tolerated; leading to the identity search and charges.
“It is common for emotions to run high during sporting events,” Swoboda said in a statement. “However, making threats to the physical safety of a person will not be tolerated and will be investigated fully by FCPS.”
CSU DB Henry Blackburn accused of hit with 'intent to injure' on Colorado football star Travis Hunter
Mike Farrell of the Mike Farrell Sports brand condemned the Blackburn hit as one with "intent to injure" in the aftermath of the September 16 illegal tackle; though not one that saw the CSU DB ejected.
“After watching the play from a different angle it’s clear that the CSU safety tried to injure Travis Hunter,” Farrell wrote. “The ball was on the ground, and there was zero chance at a completion anyhow, and he rose up and hit Hunter anyhow. It wasn’t as blatant as some I’ve seen, and he could have made it a lot worse and even more dangerous, but it was clearly an intent to injure.”
Even if it was with the intent to injure, Coach Prime felt it didn't warrant the response it got.
“Henry Blackburn is a good player who played a phenomenal game,” Deion Sanders said the week following the Week 3 Rocky Mountain Showdown (h/t BuffZone). “He made a tremendous hit on Travis on the sideline. You could call it dirty, you could call it he was just playing the game of football. But whatever it was, it does not constitute that he should be receiving death threats. This is still a young man trying to make it in life, a guy that’s trying to live his dream and hopefully graduate with honors or a degree, committed to excellence and go to the NFL."