A video allegedly showing Jeffery Simmons, a Mississippi State University football signee from Noxubee County, striking a woman repeatedly has surfaced.
The video — first reported Saturday by WCBI, a Columbus-based TV station — shows a man alleged to be Simmons standing over a woman swinging at her head repeatedly while she is on the ground. Another woman also strikes the victim during the altercation.
It is unclear when the incident occurred.
The Dispatch was unable to contact Simmons, who was named The Dispatch’s Large School co-Defensive Player of the Year and is MSU’s top signee in the class of 2016.
An MSU team spokesperson told The Dispatch this morning that the university is still gathering information and had no further comment at this time.
A post appeared on Simmons’ Facebook page Saturday.
“I take full responsibility for my actions that occurred on Thursday evening,” the post read in part.
The Noxubee County High School student, in the post, suggested that he was defending his family. He also said his actions were “out of character for me” and apologized “to the Taylor family and especially to Sophia Taylor.”
The post has since been deleted.
It is unclear if Sophia Taylor was the victim in the video. The Dispatch was unable to contact Sophia Taylor.
Noxubee County High football coach Tyrone Shorter, who coached Simmons in high school, declined to comment when contacted Sunday.
The Dispatch contacted the Macon Police Department this morning regarding the incident. Our messages were not returned by press time.
Simmons, a 6-foot-4, 272-pound defensive lineman, helped Noxubee County High win their second-consecutive Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A state title in December.
The complete text from the post on Simmons’ Facebook page read:
“Where do I start? Where do I begin? Wow! Decisions, choices and actions should always be carefully thought through when incidents occur. I take full responsibility for my actions that occurred on Thursday evening. My apology goes out to the Taylor Family and especially to Sophia Taylor. What was I thinking? Honestly, I wasn’t thinking, all I could think was this is my family and I am supposed to defend my family. Many know my deceased nephews were my pride and joy, I do everything I do in honor of the life they never got the chance to live, and to listen to someone speak so terrible about them really caused me to make choices, decisions and act in a manor that was out of character for me. Is that an excuse?… NO! I truly hope that you will find it in your hearts to forgive me for my actions. I want to apologize to those that have supported me, those who look up to me.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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