New Mexico State Aggie basketball player Mike Peake has been suspended indefinitely for his involvement in the Nov. 19 shooting on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
“Mike Peake is suspended from basketball activities indefinitely,” NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia said, referring specifically to the 21-year-old forward’s status on the team, but not as a student at the University. NMSU. “There is an academic disciplinary process that falls into a more protected category that cannot really be (commented on) by the general public.”
Until Monday, the NMSU had not spoken publicly about any specific discipline for Peake related to the Nov. 19 shooting, his sneaking out of the team hotel room the morning of the UNM game, or his wearing. gun on a school-sponsored trip.
“If you want to criticize the timing, then I’ll take that criticism,” Moccia said. “However, while I cannot go into specifics, while a student athlete who has been here for years (Peake also played for the Aggies in the 2021-22 season) is in hospital with multiple procedures. , I didn’t think it was a good time to make this announcement.
Police reports say Peake, 21, was lured to the UNM campus around 3 a.m. on Nov. 19 – the day of the annual NMSU/UNM rivalry basketball game to be played later that day. in the pit – by four UNM students, three of whom wanted to attack him as a form of reward for being one of many people, including two Aggie basketball players and one UTEP basketball player, seen on video fighting Travis during a UNM/NMSU football game Oct. 15 in Las Cruces.
Citing a review of CCTV footage, New Mexico State Police reports say Travis first shot Peake, who then used a gun he had brought with him to return fire. Travis died at the scene while Peake was hospitalized with at least one gunshot wound to his leg and has had at least three surgeries since.
Police say two of the three surviving UNM students who played a role in the plot to bring Peake to campus have been arrested and charged with crimes, while investigators have not commented when they were told. asked about the third.
As with NMSU, UNM is limited to discussing specific student disciplinary matters until final decisions have been made and all appeals have been exhausted.
State police told the Journal that two firearms, and only two firearms, were used in the shooting and both were recovered, but a spokesperson did not specify what types of weapons. were used, who owned them, or where and when they were recovered. on site or elsewhere.
Moccia declined to say when he told Peake about the indefinite suspension or if he knew of Peake’s current condition post-surgery.
The Journal contacted Peake through one of his social media accounts, but he did not comment on the matter.
Four days after the shooting, Moccia confirmed that Peake was still on the team, but said he would allow his coaches to discuss handling player discipline as it relates to being on the team.
NMSU first-year men’s basketball coach Greg Heiar was not made available to speak to the media until November 29 – 10 days after the shooting and after the team played two games at Las Vegas, Nevada. When he spoke, he expressed remorse for Travis. and his family, said he took responsibility for the actions of several players who escaped from the hotel that morning of the game and said Peake was still on the team and that as member of the Aggies family, they had to be there to help support Peake however they could.
The NMSU played its fourth game since the shootout Monday night — the Nov. 19 rivalry game in Albuquerque and Saturday’s UNM game in Las Cruces were both canceled — and Peake hasn’t been with the team since.
According to his teammates, however, he watched their game last Wednesday from his hospital bed and even called his teammates at halftime. Senior guard Xavier Pinson said in a postgame media session that Peake called his teammates at halftime and told them to “keep your feet on their necks” because the Aggies had a big lead. at that time on UTEP miners.
The next day, Moccia said that while the players were certainly allowed to talk to each other, he hadn’t realized it had happened during the game and would have preferred that quote not be used.
Peake has been active on social media since the shoot, thanking his supporters for their support, criticizing some fans who were critical of his actions and even taking the time to comment on his hopes of playing with the Aggies next year alongside the former player. from Lobo. Jay Allen-Tovar, who last week posted on Instagram the five teams he chooses as his transfer destination, including NMSU.
In addition to canceling this season’s two men’s basketball rivalry games, UNM and NMSU have added metal detectors to game entrances at both arenas – the Pan Am Center in Las Cruces and the Pit D ‘Albuquerque. The first game using metal detectors at the Pit is Tuesday night when the Lobos men’s team takes on Western New Mexico University at 7 p.m. and in Wednesday’s women’s game against Abilene Christian.
UNM women’s team hosts NMSU Sunday in the pit at 2 p.m.
New Mexico State Aggie basketball player Mike Peake has been suspended indefinitely for his involvement in the Nov. 19 shooting on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
“Mike Peake is suspended from basketball activities indefinitely,” NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia said, referring specifically to the 21-year-old forward’s status on the team, but not as a student at the University. NMSU. “There is an academic disciplinary process that falls into a more protected category that cannot really be (commented on) by the general public.”
Until Monday, the NMSU had not spoken publicly about any specific discipline for Peake related to the Nov. 19 shooting, his sneaking out of the team hotel room the morning of the UNM game, or his wearing. gun on a school-sponsored trip.
“If you want to criticize the timing, then I’ll take that criticism,” Moccia said. “However, while I cannot go into specifics, while a student athlete who has been here for years (Peake also played for the Aggies in the 2021-22 season) is in hospital with multiple procedures. , I didn’t think it was a good time to make this announcement.
Police reports say Peake, 21, was lured to the UNM campus around 3 a.m. on Nov. 19 – the day of the annual NMSU/UNM rivalry basketball game to be played later that day. in the pit – by four UNM students, three of whom wanted to attack him as a form of reward for being one of many people, including two Aggie basketball players and one UTEP basketball player, seen on video fighting Travis during a UNM/NMSU football game Oct. 15 in Las Cruces.
Citing a review of CCTV footage, New Mexico State Police reports say Travis first shot Peake, who then used a gun he had brought with him to return fire. Travis died at the scene while Peake was hospitalized with at least one gunshot wound to his leg and has had at least three surgeries since.
Police say two of the three surviving UNM students who played a role in the plot to bring Peake to campus have been arrested and charged with crimes, while investigators have not commented when they were told. asked about the third.
As with NMSU, UNM is limited to discussing specific student disciplinary matters until final decisions have been made and all appeals have been exhausted.
State police told the Journal that two firearms, and only two firearms, were used in the shooting and both were recovered, but a spokesperson did not specify what types of weapons. were used, who owned them, or where and when they were recovered. on site or elsewhere.
Moccia declined to say when he told Peake about the indefinite suspension or if he knew of Peake’s current condition post-surgery.
The Journal contacted Peake through one of his social media accounts, but he did not comment on the matter.
Four days after the shooting, Moccia confirmed that Peake was still on the team, but said he would allow his coaches to discuss handling player discipline as it relates to being on the team.
NMSU first-year men’s basketball coach Greg Heiar was not made available to speak to the media until November 29 – 10 days after the shooting and after the team played two games at Las Vegas, Nevada. When he spoke, he expressed remorse for Travis. and his family, said he took responsibility for the actions of several players who escaped from the hotel that morning of the game and said Peake was still on the team and that as member of the Aggies family, they had to be there to help support Peake however they could.
The NMSU played its fourth game since the shootout Monday night — the Nov. 19 rivalry game in Albuquerque and Saturday’s UNM game in Las Cruces were both canceled — and Peake hasn’t been with the team since.
According to his teammates, however, he watched their game last Wednesday from his hospital bed and even called his teammates at halftime. Senior guard Xavier Pinson said in a postgame media session that Peake called his teammates at halftime and told them to “keep your feet on their necks” because the Aggies had a big lead. at that time on UTEP miners.
The next day, Moccia said that while the players were certainly allowed to talk to each other, he hadn’t realized it had happened during the game and would have preferred that quote not be used.
Peake has been active on social media since the shoot, thanking his supporters for their support, criticizing some fans who were critical of his actions and even taking the time to comment on his hopes of playing with the Aggies next year alongside the former player. from Lobo. Jay Allen-Tovar, who last week posted on Instagram the five teams he chooses as his transfer destination, including NMSU.
In addition to canceling this season’s two men’s basketball rivalry games, UNM and NMSU have added metal detectors to game entrances at both arenas – the Pan Am Center in Las Cruces and the Pit D ‘Albuquerque. The first game using metal detectors at the Pit is Tuesday night when the Lobos men’s team takes on Western New Mexico University at 7 p.m. and in Wednesday’s women’s game against Abilene Christian.
UNM women’s team hosts NMSU Sunday in the pit at 2 p.m.