USF football player accused of firing gun on campus

University of South Florida reserve offensive lineman Benjamin Knox has been arrested after being accused of firing a gun at a campus dorm exterior, according to authorities.

“USF Athletics is aware of an incident involving student-athlete Benjamin Knox that occurred early Sunday morning”, USF Athletics said in a statement.

Knox was rated a four-star recruit by ESPN.com, and also played basketball in high school.

The vehicle was identified as belonging to Knox, whom they located in the adjacent residence hall, according to the university’s Assistant Police Chief Chris Daniel. After about an hour and a half, they came across a parked vehicle that held an open gun case and a box of.45-caliber ammunition “within plain sight”.

It was not immediately clear whether Knox has an attorney.

He was arrested on charges of possessing a firearm on campus and shooting into an occupied building and taken to Hillsborough County jail.

According to USF campus police, on October 11 at approximately 4 a.m., officers responded to the area of the Crescent Hill parking garage to the sounds of gunshots.

Campus police investigated after receiving reports gunfire and said the exterior of the dormitory where Knox lives was hit, however no one was injured. A witness also reported hearing shots fired and screeching tires from the garage afterward.

Officers found him in his room and recovered his handgun they think he had used in the shooting incident.

“It doesn’t look like they were well-placed shots”, Daniel told the Times.

“There is a fine line as to how we have to put this information out”, Daniel said.

Previous year was Knox’s redshirt season for the Bulls, meaning he attended classes and practiced with the team but did not compete in games.