NMSU suspends Peake amidst probe into shooting
LAS CRUCES, N.M.– New Mexico State University revealed Tuesday that it will employ an external, third-party detective to examine the occasions surrounding last month’s fatal shooting of a student from the University of New Mexico.NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia said Monday night that Aggies power forward Mike Peake has actually been suspended indefinitely from the basketball group in connection with the Nov. 19 shooting. He included that neither he nor the school might comment on Peake’s enrollment status as a student.Peake, 21, has actually not been charged in the pre-dawn shooting on the University of
New Mexico’s school in Albuquerque hours before the host Lobos were to play the Aggies. That game was canceled together with the Dec. 3 rematch in Las Cruces. “Mike is suspended from our basketball team till the completion of the university
‘s examination and the examination of the proper authorities,”Moccia said.”When those examinations will be complete, I can’t state.”NMSU authorities stated the evaluation of the events surrounding the shooting will be different from
the legal investigation presently being led by New Mexico State Police and will also analyze the university’s action in the days following the shooting.”We will be incredibly transparent throughout this procedure,”NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu said in a
declaration.” We owe that to our community and to everybody related to our university. The company chosen will be motivated to examine any public files concerning this case and be completely empowered to consult with any NMSU employees, trainees or other individuals necessary to guarantee we totally understand the truths.”State Authorities detectives have actually formerly said Brandon Travis conspired with 2 other UNM trainees and a teenage girl to entice Peake onto campus.The subsequent shootout left Travis dead at the scene and Peake hospitalized with a leg injury that has actually required a number of surgeries. Travis was 19. A brawl at an Oct. 15 UNM-NMSU football game in Las Cruces was a precursor to the shooting, police said.First-year NMSU men’s basketball coach Greg Heiar was not provided to speak to media up until 10 days after the shooting.
He revealed his condolences for Travis and his family and said he took full duty for the actions of multiple players who sneaked out of the hotel on that morning of the game.Until Monday, NMSU authorities had actually not spoken publicly about any particular discipline for Peake related to the shooting.”If there is criticism over this choice, I remain in a position to take it on myself,”Moccia said.”I have actually known this player for many years, and I understand what kind of individual he is. I didn’t feel a need to hurry to judgment. I wished to offer the examination time to play out before making any decisions.
“Peake, a 6-foot-7 junior from Chicago, played one season at Georgia before moving to Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. He signed up with New Mexico State in 2021 and averaged 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds last season, assisting the Aggies reach the second round of the NCAA competition.