High school football players charged with assault after on field incident

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich (WXYZ) - There is controversy over charges against four Star Academy football players who are charged with assault and battery after the young quarterback at Lutheran Westland High school was left with a serious concussion.

It happened at the end of the game.  Lutheran was way ahead and the quarterback, 15-year-old P.J. Guse was going to "take a knee" and run out the clock.  The Lutheran coach who is P.J.'s dad says the refs told the players to stay away but police in Dearborn Heights say they charged anyway.

P.J. ended up at the hospital with a grade three concussion, he spent time off school, was dizzy, had memory loss and says he can't believe it happened.

It took nearly three months of investigating but four senior players from Star have been charged with Assault and Battery, a misdemeanor.  Their lawyer, Nabih Ayad says he believes they were charged because they are Arab American. He wants the charges dismissed.

Police and prosecutors have viewed the tape of the game, talked to witnesses and say this had nothing to do with the players being Arab American. They say it has to do with an assault that could have ended much worse.

P.J.'s mom says seeing her son hit, flying through the air and then laying flat was the most frightening and worrisome thing that she has ever seen.  She says these Star players should face consequences.