Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt announced Monday morning that sophomore defensive back Bryce Thompson has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest for an alleged domestic assault on Saturday.
"Bryce Thompson is suspended indefinitely while the process continues. We hold our student-athletes to a high standard. The safety of all students is our first priority here at Tennessee,” Pruitt said in a statement.
Thompson was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic assault after a verbal altercation with his girlfriend.
The sophomore and a woman got into a verbal argument close to 8 p.m. yesterday in the on-campus dorm Stokely Hall.
According to the arresting officers’ report, multiple eye-witnesses allege Thompson shouted at the female that he would “slap the (expletive) out of you,” and several witness also heard the phrase “shoot up this school” — although only one witness said he saw Thompson say it.
Thompson and the female have been in a relationship for four years, according to report. The argument occurred after she “found another girl’s fake eyelashes” in Thompson’s room.
When officers arrived at the scene Saturday evening, a metal gate was “unhinged” and a wall was damaged. Initially, Thompson told the officers he fell into the gate and down some stairs but later changed his statement to say the gate broke after he “tried to pull it upwards.”
Thompson was a Freshman All-American in 2018, leading the Vols with three interceptions and seven pass breakups in 10 starts. He also added 34 tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss.
Thompson is scheduled to appear in court on September 3rd.