NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vanderbilt[1] coach Derek Mason has indefinitely suspended the three Commodores football players who were involved in an incident that resulted in two of them getting shot.
Mason announced Wednesday that the three players have been suspended "from all football activities."
Nashville police said defensive back Tae Daley[2] suffered a noncritical gunshot wound to his leg, and defensive back Frank Coppet[3] received noncritical bird-shot wounds to his arms Monday night in an "ill-conceived plan" to recover wide receiver Donaven Tennyson[4]'s stolen cellphone.
According to police, Tennyson had offered his phone for sale on an internet site and met with a prospective buyer at a Chili's parking lot at 5 p.m. Monday. Tennyson told police his phone was stolen during the meeting and later that night was offered for sale on the same internet site.
Tennyson said he arranged a meeting with the seller in a Target parking lot and arrived with Daley and Coppet. Police said the three players brought a pellet pistol, which one of them said was "to help get the phone back."
Police said Coppet got out of Daley's Toyota with the pellet pistol in his hand when a man who pulled up next to them in a Buick got out and shot at the three players with an actual pistol. Police said another man in the Buick fired a shotgun at them.
Police said one gunman fled in the Buick and another left in the Toyota after the shots were fired. They did not say if or when Daley and Tennyson got out of the Toyota.
No arrests have been made. Police say they're working to identify the shooters.
Daley is an 18-year-old freshman from Warner Robins, Georgia. Coppet is an 18-year-old redshirt freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Tennyson, a 19-year-old sophomore from Richmond, Virginia, played eight games last season. He didn't catch a pass but had four carries for 28 yards.