Teen Says She Tackled A Middle School Football Player To Protect Her Brother, Now She Faces Charges

A viral middle school football game in Tennessee has escalated into a legal issue for a 16-year-old spectator, Addison Hunnicutt, who now faces assault and disorderly conduct charges. The incident occurred during a game between South Middle School and Cornersville Middle School in Winchester on August 18. Video footage shows Hunnicutt running onto the field after a scuffle between two players and tackling a 13-year-old South Middle player, who Hunnicutt believed was hurting her younger brother.

Hunnicutt's family and attorney argue that her actions were motivated by her concern for her brother's safety, while school officials and law enforcement emphasize the fact that a spectator entered the field and assaulted a middle school player. Hunnicutt's mother acknowledged that running onto the field was inappropriate, but defended her daughter's motive.

She faces a lifetime trespass ban from all Franklin County School System properties and a one-year ban from participating in Cornersville Middle School home and away athletic events. South Middle Principal Dr. Tara Brewer praised the response from coaches, players, and school resource officers, while the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association have taken disciplinary action against Hunnicutt.