Police detectives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, have disclosed an unsettling incident involving the University of Utah women's basketball team during their stay in the city for the women's NCAA Tournament. According to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department's Facebook post, an audio recording containing a racial slur was identified, with indications that the slur was used multiple times.
The incident, characterized by Utah coach Lynne Roberts as a series of "racial hate crimes," occurred on March 21 while the team, comprising Black, white, and Latina athletes, was in Idaho before their first NCAA Tournament game in Spokane, Washington, on March 23.
In response to the incident, the team relocated to a hotel closer to the host city for their safety.
The police department stated that they are actively investigating the incident, having conducted interviews and collected approximately 35 hours of video footage from businesses in the area.
Some of this evidence supports the reported incidents, and detectives are working to locate additional corroborating evidence.
Efforts are underway to ascertain the context and conduct associated with the use of the racial slur to determine if any laws were violated.
Detectives are also endeavoring to identify a suspect and establish a timeline based on available videos.
Police are seeking information regarding a silver sedan that was in the area at the time of the incident.
Utah athletics officials reported that while the basketball team, along with band members and cheerleaders, were out to dinner on March 21, a driver revved their engine and yelled a racial slur at them.
Later that evening, two trucks approached the group, and their drivers also revved their engines and yelled the same slur.
Despite the tournament games being held in Spokane, which is about 35 minutes away, Utah was one of three teams staying in Coeur d’Alene due to a lack of hotel space in the area.
The NCAA and Gonzaga, the host school, assisted in relocating the team to a different hotel after the incident.
Coach Roberts emphasized the gravity of the incident, stating that racism is a real and deeply troubling issue for everyone involved, regardless of their race. She stressed that no one felt safe in such an environment, particularly during an NCAA tournament.