A teenager in Winchester, Tennessee, claimed she was defending her younger brother after she ran onto a football field at a middle school game and allegedly tackled a player on Tuesday.
The incident happened during a game between South Middle School and Cornersville Middle School when 16-year-old Addison Hunnicutt claimed a player targeted her brother, WTVF reported Thursday.
Hunnicutt claimed the other player grabbed her brother, slung him around, and hit him in the ribs.
Still images showed the moments the incident happened:
Video footage showed the moments two players were seen scuffling on the ground until referees intervened. However, Hunnicutt then allegedly ran onto the field and tackled the South Middle School player whom she accused of hitting her sibling.
Hunnicutt said when she saw her brother allegedly being attacked, “That’s when I started to be like, ‘No, I’m done watching this.’”
She said inaction from others made her want to do something.
“Seeing what they were doing to him and no one stopping it, that kind of made me the last choice. Somebody has to stop this,” she explained.
Another clip showed a clearer view of the moment Hunnicutt ran onto the field and allegedly tackled the player who was wearing a green jersey. She then appeared to push him down on the ground as he tried to stand. However, adults on the field intervened and separated them:
Her mother said her daughter’s actions were wrong, but it was difficult to watch what was apparently happening to her son on the field.
The teenager, who said she wanted people to understand her motivation and the love she has for her sibling, has since been charged with assault and disorderly conduct. However, her attorney said those were too much and what was happening on the field in the minutes before the incident should be considered.
“Beyond the criminal charges, Addison faces additional consequences. The Franklin County School System has permanently banned her from all district properties for life. The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association has banned her from attending any Cornersville home or away athletic events for one year,” the WTVF article stated.