Buffalo Bills release Matt Araiza after gang rape accusation

• The Buffalo Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza on Saturday.
• A lawsuit was filed accusing the player and two former schoolmates of gang raping a teenager.
• Manager says they were unaware of accusations at the time they recruited him.

The Buffalo Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza on Saturday, two days after a lawsuit was filed accusing the player and two former classmates of gang raping a teenager. The assault presumably occurred at the end of last year, according to The Sun, Usa Today and the AP.

“The last 48 hours has been very difficult, for a lot of people. It’s been very tough. We sympathize with this whole situation, all the parties involved. This young woman, what she went through,» general manager Brandon Beane said during a 26 minutes news conference alongside coach Sean McDermott.

WHY DID THEY MAKE THAT DECISION?

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Faced with a wave of criticism, retaliation and internal questioning for drafting Araiza, the Bills backed down. “But at this time, we just think it’s the best move for everyone to move on from Matt and let him take care of this situation and focus on that, so we’re going to part ways there,» Beane added.

The manager said the Bills were not aware of the allegations made against Araiza at the time they drafted him. Had they known, they would not have considered it. The decision to sever ties with the sixth-round draft pick out of San Diego State comes after Buffalo had paved the way for Araiza to be the starting punter.

WHAT PLANS DID THE TEAM HAVE?

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On Monday, the Bills released veteran Matt Haack. Buffalo had thus chosen to keep Araiza despite the fact that the accusations against him had been known since the end of July. The team announced that it had «examined deeply» the matter a day after the lawsuit was filed. The lawsuit in San Diego County Superior Court accuses Araiza and two companions of raping the young woman, who was then 17 years old, during a Halloween party at a house near the campus, where the player lived.

A police investigation in San Diego was later turned over to the district attorney’s office to determine whether charges were going to be filed. Tanya Sierra, a spokeswoman for the prosecution, said Friday that there is no timetable for making the decision. This case has caused a stir among the public, as it involves a professional player. Filed Under: Buffalo Bills Matt Araiza