Former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza will not be be charged in connection with the reported gang rape of a 17-year-old girl while he attended San Diego State, officials announced Wednesday.
In a statement, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said Araiza and none of his former teammates will be charged.
The statement can be found below:
“Ultimately, prosecutors determined it is clear the evidence does not support the filing of criminal charges and there is no path to a potential criminal conviction. Prosecutors can only file charges when they ethically believe they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Via The Athletic, the victim’s representation in the case responded that they were “not surprised” by the news:
“ … that they weren’t interested in the case. They made that clear by ghosting my client and keeping her in the dark. It was only the media attention that caused the police to commence a dog and pony show long enough for them to say they conducted a thorough investigation.” 2/2
— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) December 7, 2022
Buffalo originally selected Araiza in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Nicknamed the “Punt God,” Araiza won the team’s punting job in training camp only for the allegations to drop a short time later on Aug. 25.
By Aug. 27, Araiza was released by the Bills and he remains a free agent.