UPDATE: Ramapo College Baseball Players Chased, But Did Not Injure Deer on Campus

An investigation has found that Ramapo College Baseball players did in fact chase deer on campus, but did not injure it, police say.

A member of the Mahwah Police Department was assigned to look into the case after North Jersey Media Group contacted the department Wednesday morning about the alleged incident, which claimed members of the baseball team “killed a deer by beating it,” Mahwah Police Chief James Batelli said.

After contacting Ramapo College’s Public Safety and school officials, police learned that an investigation by Public Safety determined that on March 23, members of the baseball team “chased a deer near the Bradley Center, but that the deer was not in any way injured,” according to Chief Batelli.

According to police, a Ramapo College staff member “reported observing members of the Ramapo College Baseball team (identified by the shirts they were wearing) leave the Bradley Center facility and six of them began to chase a deer that was in the grassy knoll adjacent to the center” while ”at least one student wielded a large stick above his head.”

However, an investigation by the college’s Public Safety found that several baseball players, who were in the area to run wind sprints up the hill, chased the deer after they were spotted on the border of a wooded area and that the student who picked up a stick “claimed ... he never ... intended to hurt the deer, but was only trying to scare them away into the woods and prevent them from going into the street,” a release from Chief Batelli said.

Public Safety also interviewed many students, all of which said the deer were chased but not injured, and a review of surveillance cameras show the students running up the hill in different directions, but do not show any deer.

According to statement posted on Facebook by Ramapo College, the Student Code of Conduct states the following is prohibited against wildlife:

31a. Causing intentional or reckless harm or other physical injury to campus wildlife including the purposeful destruction of these creatures’ natural habitats.

Disciplinary action has been taken against the students, according to Chief Batelli.

Related:

Allegations Claim Members of Ramapo College Baseball Team Chased Deer Off Campus