Two former RCTC football players charged with assault following fight after game

(ABC 6 News) – Two former football players for Rochester Community and Technical College are facing assault charges after a fight broke out after an Oct. 24, 2021 game.

RCTC was playing Minnesota West Community and Technical College, and according to a criminal complaint, Akim Richmond and Shan Fiorenza, two RCTC players, got in a physical altercation with the other team’s coach.

The victim told Rochester police that the two teams started to argue and began to physically fight. He observed one player, later identified as Fiorenza, throwing punches.

The victim said he then grabbed Fiorenza to stop him, and Fiorenza punched him five times in the face.

The coach claims Fiorenza was then joined by Richmond, and both players threw him to the ground and continued to hit him. He then lost consciousness and was later diagnosed with a concussion.

RCTC player Amonte Young was also named in the complaint as being involved in the fight, but is not facing charges.

Richmond and Fiorneza are both charged with felony assault in the 3rd degree substantial bodily harm, misdemeanor assault in the 5th degree fear of bodily harm or death, and misdemeanor assault in the 5th degree inflict or attempt bodily harm.

In a statement to ABC 6 news RCTC said in part, "RCTC supplied all necessary materials and information to the NJCAA for their review. The NJCAA issued their determinations regarding sanctions against two players mentioned in the investigation, and the college will follow those as prescribed."

The college says both players are not current RCTC students.

Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem said the fact that this case involves local football players does not change anything when it comes to prosecution.

"Its unfortunate that this came out of a football game. But that doesn’t make it unusual for us. We have 3rd degree assaults all the time," Ostrem said.

Richmond and Fiorenza are scheduled to appear in court July 28.