A Northern California high school has canceled the remainder of its varsity team's football season as police investigate allegations that players sexually assaulted a teammate, officials said.
Four Gilroy High School varsity football players were issued juvenile citations for sexual battery after a fellow teammate accused them of assaulting him after school, the Gilroy Police Department said in a statement Tuesday. The allegations were reported on Sept. 26 and both the district and authorities are still investigating.
Gilroy Unified School District announced on Sept. 30 that administrators were investigating the alleged assault. Two subsequent statements from the district said that it was "the hope of the Gilroy Unified School District that this incident will not affect the Gilroy High School football season" and "football season has not been canceled and the team will continue its strong competitive play throughout the season."
But on Wednesday, the district announced the season would not continue because "most of the varsity players have chosen not to finish the season."
NBC Bay Area reported that during Friday's football game, the team was missing at least five players.
The students have not been identified because they are juveniles.
