Rutgers forward Issa Thiam has been dismissed from the team and faces deportation after his arrest on domestic violence charges. Thiam, a 22-year-old junior from Dakar, Senegal, is accused of slapping a woman and swinging a knife at her after she refused to give up her cellphone. According to a probable-cause affidavit obtained by NJ.com, the woman "stated that the defendant threatened to take her life, and made references to previous incidents in which he had used knives to threaten her with serious bodily harm and/or death." The Asbury Park Press reports his attorney said after Thiam's release from jail Tuesday that his client is "still in shock." Sciarra said Thiam has "no ill feelings toward Rutgers." He said his client denies threatening the woman with a knife. Thiam was suspended indefinitely after his arrest Friday and dismissed from the team Monday. He has been charged with simple assault, false imprisonment and making terroristic threats, among other offenses. NJ.com reports Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell says the team has had many obstacles this year and that this is another one it will have to fight through. Thiam has been ordered to surrender his passport. A judge has also barred him from the Rutgers campus. He is due back in court April 5. The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>A member of the Rutgers men’s basketball team was arrested and faces seven charges stemming from an incident early Friday morning, according to records obtained by NJ Advance Media. Issa Thiam was charged with simple assault, criminal mischief, false imprisonment, tampering with physical evidence, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, theft by unlawful taking, and terroristic threats, according to a complaint filed by Piscataway Township police on Friday. All are disorderly, fourth- or third-degree charges. The alleged incident occurred at 1:15 a.m. Friday morning. An arrest warrant was issued and recalled at 1:38 p.m. Friday. The complaint was filed in Piscataway Municipal Court. No court date is listed yet. Thiam has been suspended indefinitely from the program, a Rutgers athletics spokesman told NJ Advance Media. An attempt to reach Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell through his spokesman was unsuccessful Friday night. The Scarlet Knights play their regular-season Big Ten finale Sunday, traveling to Indiana for a 12 p.m. game. A 6-foot-10 junior forward from Dakar, Senegal, Thiam is averaging 3.8 points and 2.3 rebounds while playing in 25 games for the 14-15 Scarlet Knights this season. After starting nine of the first 10 games this season, Thiam has seen his minutes dwindle because of struggles with outside shooting. He had scored a total of 12 points in Rutgers’ first 11 games in 2019, but broke out with a 13-point effort in a March 2 win at Iowa. Thiam was held scoreless on 0-for-2 shooting in four minutes in Wednesday’s 66-65 loss to Penn State. Thiam (pronounced CHOM) has played in 90 games over his three-year Rutgers career, averaging five points and 2.9 rebounds while starting 63 times. According to his school bio, Thiam speaks five languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Wolof). Rutgers can clinch a bye in the opening round of next week’s Big Ten Tournament with a win over Indiana. With a loss, the Scarlet Knights can finish as low as the No. 12 seed in the conference tournament. Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.<doc-sep>
The Rutgers basketball player who was arrested for assault after he allegedly slapped a woman in the face a half-dozen times also threatened her with a kitchen knife, according to a report published Monday. Issa Thiam, a junior forward from Dakar, Senegal, was kicked off the team Monday over the allegations and could now face deportation. see also Rutgers basketball player charged with assault, making terroristic threats A Rutgers basketball player was arrested and charged with assault... The 22-year-old was arrested Friday following a fight with a woman in his Piscataway apartment that began when he demanded her phone, according to court documents reported by NJ.com. When the woman, who was not identified, refused to give Thiam her phone, he went to the kitchen, got a knife and said he would kill her, the probable cause affidavit states. The 6-foot-10 athlete then slapped the woman six to eight times and “used both of his hands to grab her face and gain compliance,” the document states. Eventually, Thiam got the phone but tried to stop the woman from leaving by shoving her back into the room. When she finally got out and called the cops, Thiam threw the knife out his window “in an attempt to conceal evidence,” the document states. The player’s attorney, Charles Sciarra, said his client has a “terrific reputation” on campus and denies threatening her with a knife. After being charged with criminal mischief, false imprisonment, possession of a weapon and making terroristic threats, Thiam was suspended by coach Steve Pikiell and then dismissed from the team Monday. He is being held at the Middlesex County jail and will appear before a judge Tuesday morning for a detention hearing.