Police interested in speaking to suspended Tigers

The Columbia Police Department is continuing to investigate the events that occurred outside of Athena Night Club early Sunday morning that resulted in a broken jaw for Missouri guard Stefhon Hannah.

Columbia Police Sgt. Ken Hammond said the police are in the process of contacting guard Jason Horton and forwards Marshall Brown, Darryl Butterfield and Leo Lyons so that they can be questioned.

MU coach Mike Anderson indefinitely suspended all five players for violating team rules. Anderson said he would be evaluating the suspensions before MU’s game against Kansas State on Saturday. Hannah’s broken jaw is expected to keep him sidelined four to six weeks, regardless of how long the suspensions turn out to be.

On Thursday, Hammond said police contacted the MU athletic department to let them know that they wished to speak with the suspended players as a courtesy.

Hammond said he is hoping to speak with the suspended players in “the very near future,” but would not divulge when, because he said things can change rapidly in police investigations.

“We have a pretty good understanding that there was a physical disturbance that Mr. Hannah was involved in,” Hammond said, but he said speaking with Horton, Brown, Butterfield and Lyons could help police identify a suspect in that disturbance. He said the players are not suspects at this time.