Former Quinnipiac basketball player arrested in Connecticut

Thu, Mar 30, 2023
Other News (AP)

HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) - Police in Connecticut have charged former Quinnipiac University basketball player Dezmond "Dezi" Jones in connection with what appears to be a domestic violence incident involving a female student at the school who also was arrested.

Jones, a 5-foot-10 guard from Hannibal, Missouri, was charged with misdemeanor strangulation/suffocation and disorderly conduct on Tuesday, according to Hamden police. The woman, Ava Librizzi, from East Greenwich, Rhode Island, was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Police did not release other details of the incident.

Jones, 21, who averaged 12.5 points a game for the Bobcats in 2022-23, announced recently his intent to transfer to Austin Peay State University in Tennessee.

Neither Jones nor Librizzi immediately responded Thursday to messages to their social media accounts. A phone message seeking comment was left with Jones' lawyer. Court records do not list an attorney for Librizzi.

Quinnipiac, located in Hamden, said in a statement, "The university takes all Title IX incident reports with utmost seriousness and has policies in place to ensure a thorough review of all allegations." Title IX is the federal anti-discrimination education law.

Austin Peay said it could not comment about Jones' arrest because he has not yet applied for admission or financial aid at the school.