16-year-old girl who tackled middle school football player reveals why she stormed the field
The viral tackle has now led to criminal charges and a lifetime school district ban
A middle school football game in Tennessee suddenly became something much more serious when a 16-year-old girl ran out of the stands, charged onto the field and tackled one of the players.
The incident happened Tuesday night during a game between South Middle School and Cornersville Middle School at Franklin County High School in Winchester . South had just scored a touchdown and extra point when a scuffle broke out between two players. That's when Addison Hunnicutt entered the field and went directly toward the South Middle player involved.
Video shows Hunnicutt wrapping up the player and taking him to the ground. After he got back to his feet, she appeared to shove him down again before an adult intervened. Officials immediately ended the game and cleared the stadium. Authorities later confirmed that no injuries were reported .
The 16-year-old says she was protecting her younger brother
Hunnicutt has since offered an explanation for what triggered the extraordinary reaction. She said the Cornersville player involved in the confrontation was her younger brother and claimed she had watched another player grab his facemask and swing him around. Her attorney has similarly characterized her actions as an attempt to protect her brother .
Whatever her motivation, the consequences were immediate. School resource officers met Hunnicutt as she left the field, and she was eventually released to her parents. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office charged the teenager with assault and disorderly conduct .
The punishment didn't stop there. Franklin County Schools issued Hunnicutt a lifetime trespass ban from all district properties, while the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association banned her from attending Cornersville Middle School home and away athletic events for one year.
