The student, a pitcher on Rider’s baseball team, was slated to pitch in a key tournament game Thursday (May 25) in Fishkill, N.Y. A Rider official said he was suspended, along with several with other players, pending an investigation.
By:Jennifer Potash Managing Editor
A top Rider University baseball player was suspended from the team after police found a mock AK-47 rifle in his dorm room Tuesday night.
James Kennedy, 18, of Levittown, Pa., was charged with possession of a firearm on the grounds of an educational institution.
Mr. Kennedy is a pitcher on Rider’s baseball team and was slated to pitch in a key tournament game Thursday (May 25) in Fishkill, N.Y. A Rider official said he was suspended, along with several with other players, pending an investigation.
Police officers responded to a report of men in Hill dormitory with firearms a rifle and a handgun said Lawrence Police Lt. Mark Ubry.
A deliverywoman from an area fast-food eatery saw the men in the dorm, and after returning to her job, notified authorities, Lt. Ubry said.
Rider’s public safety officers contacted the police at 9:50 p.m. and evacuated the dormitory, he said.
The police officers conducted a room-to-room search in the dorm and found the pellet rife on a bed in Mr. Kennedy’s room, said Lt. Ubry.
Mr. Kennedy admitted to owning the replica weapon, said Lt. Ubry.
The replica weapons are made to resemble real firearms and fire small, plastic pellets, said. Lt. Ubry. These mock guns can be easily purchased from the Internet and many sporting goods stores carry them, he said.
The university is in summer session and the only student residents in Hill dorm were members of the school’s baseball team, set to compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament starting Thursday, said Earle Rommel, Rider University spokesman.
Through May 19 the team had a record of 25-29 and was seeded third in this week’s conference tournament. Mr. Kennedy has a season record of six wins and three losses with a 4.07 earned run average. Rider University Director of Athletics Don Harnum said the university informed the tournament officials of the players’ suspensions.
"Rider takes this incident very seriously," said Mr. Harnum, in a statement. "We are concerned with the safety and welfare of our community and the conduct of our student-athletes. Possession of a firearm, real or otherwise, is a violation of our student code of conduct and is not consistent with the university’s values."
Mr. Harnum added that the university is cooperating with the police department.
For more, see The Ledger on June 1.

