Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang is under investigation by Chicago police in connection with a sexual assault that allegedly took place in mid-June.
In a statement, Pirates’ president Frank Coonelly said:
“We have been made aware of the allegation that has been made against Jung Ho Kang. We take allegations of this type extremely seriously. Pursuant to the Joint MLB/MLBPA Policy on such matters, this matter is exclusively before the Commissioner’s Office at this time. We have and will continue to cooperate fully with the Commissioner’s Office. As a result of the ongoing police investigation, we cannot comment further at this time. We have also advised our staff and our players that they should not comment on the matter either. We all need to be respectful to the police investigation of a very serious allegation.”
According to the Chicago Tribune, Kang met an unidentified Chicago woman through dating app Bumble on June 17, and he invited her to come to his hotel room. The 23-year-old woman said Kang gave her an alcoholic beverage, and she blacked out 10 to 15 minutes later, coming in and out of consciousness as he sexually assaulted her.
The Tribune reported that, on June 19, the woman had a rape kit done, and she filed a formal complaint 10 days later.
In a statement, the MLB said it was aware of the allegations surrounding Kang.
“Our understanding is that police in Chicago are investigating this very serious matter,” the statement said. “Major League Baseball will monitor the progress of this investigation closely and will respond fully as additional facts emerge.”
Kang has not been charged with a crime. His status with the team remains unclear, although he won’t be in Tuesday’s lineup.
Image credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
