Suspended Nittany Lion wide receiver Chris Bell will not be allowed back on the Penn State football team after police said he threatened a teammate with an 8-inch cooking knife Monday night at the football team's dining area in Pollock Dining Commons.
"Chris Bell, who had been previously suspended from team activities, is permanently removed from the team and will not be re-considered to be a part of the team in the future," according to a statement released today by the Penn State athletic department.
The incident, which yielded no injuries, brought charges of terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, two counts of disorderly conduct and two counts of harassment for Bell, who was arraigned last night before Centre County District Judge Daniel Hoffman. He was held Monday night in Centre County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 straight bail.
Bell voluntarily came to the Penn State Police station last night and admitted to displaying the knife, but said he pulled the knife out because he feared his own safety, police said.
Witnesses said Bell entered the dining commons around 6:30 p.m. and approached defensive end Devon Still with a "long fixed-blade knife" that he pulled from his shirt sleeve, according to the criminal complaint.
"Come get the case and I am going to stab you," Bell said, referring to a cell phone case Still had accused Bell of taking earlier that day, according to the criminal complaint.
As the two players were separated by coaches Michael McQueary, Richard Anderson and Kermit Buggs, Bell shouted, "I have more knives and a gun up here!" to his teammate, according to police.
Police said the knife, which was confiscated by Anderson, was a 12-inch Good Cook straight blade cooking knife with a 8-inch blade and a black handle.
