Police confirm they’ve launched investigation against Kane

No charges have been filed yet in connection to the investigation and it’s unknown whether police have spoken to Kane.

Hamburg, N.Y., police chief Gregory Wickett on Friday did not elaborate on the investigation, alluding to an “incident that allegedly occurred” at the player’s off-season home in suburban Buffalo.

The newspaper said that a young woman has alleged that she met Kane at a Buffalo nightclub over the weekend, and he took her to his Hamburg home and raped her. Police searched Kane’s home for evidence Sunday. “At this time, we are gathering information and awaiting forensic testing results”, Wickett read from a statement, to cameras from local, national and global sources.

“We are aware of the police investigation and are following developments”, the NHL’s Frank Brown, group vice-president of communications, told The Buffalo News.

“We are aware of the matter and are in the process of gathering information”, the Blackhawks said in a statement Thursday.

In June, Kane helped the Blackhawks win their third title in the past six seasons and was scheduled to bring the Stanley Cup to Buffalo this weekend as part of a victory celebration. “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time”, the Blackhawks said in an official team statement. “Told me he was too bombed for a pic, so of course I snap chatted a pic of him anyway”.

Kane had his issues in the past, including his arrest in the summer of 2009 for attacking a cab driver. They say the officers shimmied their way through the gates and went inside. He and a cousin pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

Stan Bowman, general manager at the time, called those reported acts from Kane “disappointing” and said they “handled it internally”. “It would not be appropriate to provide further comment at this time”.

Legal observers say it could take weeks or even months for authorities to investigate and decide on filing a charge.