Following rumors regarding an incident involving Chicago
Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane, Hamburg Policy Chief Gregory Wickett issued a
statement on August 7th to confirm that the
Hamburg Police Department is currently investigating a reported sexual assault
at the off-season residence of Kane.
Although nearly a month has passed since the alleged
assault, very
little information has been released from either the Hamburg Police or the Erie
County District Attorney’s office regarding specifics of the investigation.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean Kane is in the clear.
Kane’s accuser alleges that he “invited
her and a female friend to his home for a private party” after they met him
at bar in downtown Hamburg. Shortly after arriving, the victim alleges that
Kane followed her into a room where “he
overpowered her and raped her.” The victim then left Kane’s home seeking
treatment at a local hospital where sources close to Kane’s accuser have
revealed that the victim had bite
marks on her shoulders as well as a scratch on her leg.
To date, the Hamburg Police Department has noted that the 26
year old remains under investigation while forensic evidence is being tested, including
a rape kit. While no charges have been filed, a
witness to the alleged assault has been subpoenaed by a grand jury to testify.
Since news of the allegations, Electronic
Art’s Sports (“EA Sports”) has removed Kane as a spokesperson for its NHL ‘16
video game in addition to pulling him from the cover. However, despite the
current buzz surrounding Kane, it has been reported that five
teams have contacted the Blackhawks about a potential trade for the forward.
Considering that the Blackhawks are one of the more
image-conscious teams in the NHL (if not the most), it will be interesting to
see how the team moves forward with these allegations against Kane – especially
since this is not his first brush with the law.
Erica Vincent
Editor in Chief
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