Timeline emerges of late-night events leading to arrest of Gamecocks' Ashlyn Watkins (2024)

COLUMBIA— More details have emerged from a weekend incident that led to the arrest of South Carolina women’s basketball player Ashlyn Watkins.

Watkins, a junior for the defending national champion Gamecocks, was charged with first-degree assault and kidnapping, defined by state statutes as “unlawful seizure, confinement or carrying away of another person without legal authority.”

Watkins is alleged to have grabbed the head of a juvenile under the age of 18, forcing her to walk down a hall and preventing the person from leaving 650 Lincoln. That's the on-campus residence hall that is home to many athletes, including the members of USC’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.

The female’s name is redacted on the police report, but the timeline of the incident says that while responding to a fire alarm at 2:54 a.m. Aug. 31, police saw a person leaning over a ledge in the dorm’s parking garage and yelling for help. Another person was holding her back, police reported.

Police found the alleged victim on the third floor of the garage, where she told officers she had been arguing with Watkins and was trying to get away from her. She said several times that Watkins hit her, police reported.

Watkins was detained at the scene and taken to another part of the garage.

The female said she was helping a sick friend on the second floor of the dorm when Watkins returned to the “incident location” because she believed the victim “was cheating on her.” She tried to make her way over to Watkins while speaking to the officer and became uncooperative while still trying to get closer to Watkins, police reported.

The person said that Watkins was her friend and did not live with her, telling police that she drove to 650 Lincoln to “see her best friend,” and pointed at Watkins.

Asked again if Watkins hit her, she told police this time that she had not been hit, according to the report. The female continued to try to speak to Watkins, asking if she could use Watkins’ phone to call her mother. Watkins refused.

Watkins called the person “her girlfriend,” and when police asked what she was doing in the second-floor room, Watkins admitted to grabbing her and walking outside, according to the report.

Watkins then said the two returned to Watkins’ room to let out her dog. At that point, the female ran through the garage and lifted herself onto the ledge, police reported. She told officers that she was not trying to jump.

Believing she was going to jump, Watkins told police she wrapped both arms around her.

EMS determined the female was not suicidal, police said. She was taken to USC police headquarters and released.

Watkins was arrested and taken to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. She was released after posting a $30,000 personal recognizance bond. Her attorney is state Rep. Todd Rutherford, who could not immediately be reached for comment.

Watkins is barred from contact with the female and must stay 1,000 yards away from her home, school, work and church. The online judicial record also state that Watkins needs “permission to travel out of state for games and practice.”

A basketball program spokesperson didn’t have an official word on Watkins’ status with the team but did confirm that USC’s athletic department policy says that any student-athlete who has been arrested is immediately suspended from the team and all team activities while the situation is being investigated.

USC is set to visit the White House on Sept. 10 to accept congratulations from President Joe Biden on its national championship season. The Gamecocks have an exhibition game at Memphis on Oct. 15. Watkins has a court date Oct. 25, according to the online docket.

The Gamecocks begin the season on Nov. 4 against Michigan in Las Vegas.