The Coeur d’Alene Police Department has obtained video and audio evidence of the incident that occurred during the NCAA Tournament involving the Utah women’s basketball team.
The department on Wednesday posted on Facebook that it collected “approximately 35 hours of video from businesses in the area where the incidents occurred.” While not every video contained audio, one recording in particular was of note.
“We’ve identified an audio recording where the use of a racial slur was clearly audible,” the department wrote. “We’re working to determine the context and conduct associated with its use to determine if it is a violation of the law. While we’re still reviewing evidence, it appears the use of a racial slur occurred more than one time.”
After Utah lost to Gonzaga, coach Lynne Roberts revealed the team had to move hotel rooms due to “racial hate crimes” toward the program while staying in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A police report obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune says that on March 21, after the team ate dinner at the gastropub Crafted, two lifted pickup trucks started “revving their engines and speeding by the team,” then came back and shouted the N-word at the team.
Police did not get descriptions of the suspects, the report said.
The department wrote that some of the video and audio it obtained “corroborates what was reported by members of the basketball program,” and detectives are working to find additional evidence.
Utah was staying in Coeur d’Alene despite the host city being Spokane, Wash., for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The two cities are more than 30 minutes apart, which goes against NCAA guidelines for the tournament. But Coeur d’Alene received a waiver because there was limited hotel space in Spokane due to the men’s tournament and a youth volleyball tournament.
Roberts said the team was able to move hotels with the help of Gonzaga and the NCAA.
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