Serious allegations for Dior Johnson prompted suspension
Content warning: this story contains details of domestic violence.
Pittsburgh Panther’s guard Dior Johnson has been suspended from all team activities after he was charged with aggravated and simple assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment and strangulation after allegedly assaulting a woman at an apartment in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh according to Jeff Goodman.
Pittsburgh freshman guard Dior Johnson has been indefinitely suspended from all team activities “pending the resolution of legal charges filed against him.”
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 8, 2022
According to WTAE-TV Pittsburgh, the woman said Johnson “slapped her across the face” on the night of Sept. 5 after she got his phone wet.
Johnson then left the apartment and returned at 4 a.m. the following morning. He and the woman began arguing at 8:30 a.m. and after another hour he “got violent and repeatedly punched (the woman) in her arms, stomach, and head multiple times.”
Johnson also allegedly threw the woman’s phone after she called 911. She then alleged he “continued to hit her multiple times in the arms, head and stomach making her throw up twice.”
According to the woman, Johnson then began cutting his own arm with the scissors and told the victim that if the police came they would take her to jail, not him, according to the complaint. “I’ll make them think you did this,” Johnson said according to the complaint.
The woman eventually got out went to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for a concussion and multiple bruises. Per the report, police documented bruising on both of her arms, her collarbone, chest and shoulder.
The University has made a statement in regards to the incident: “University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball student-athlete Dior Johnson has been indefinitely suspended from all team activities pending the resolution of legal charges filed against him. The Pitt Athletic Department, which became aware of the charges Friday afternoon, will decline further comment until the legal process has reached a resolution.”
Dior Johnson was the number 41 player in 24/7 sports rankings and was preparing for his freshman season with the Panthers, though the only thing that matters at this point is the victim.