Breaking News: LSU Football Player UNDER INVESTIGATION After DISTURBING ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS

 

BATON ROUGE, La. — A Louisiana State University football player is at the center of a criminal investigation following disturbing allegations of sexual assault, and the case has ignited a firestorm over how the university handled its own internal review.

Damien Shanklin, a 20-year-old redshirt freshman defensive end for the Tigers, is being investigated by the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office and LSU police after a female student came forward with allegations that he raped her in October 2025 . The case has drawn national attention after the alleged victim, Kendall Francis, went public on TikTok in September, claiming the university reduced Shanklin’s punishment despite its own Title IX investigation finding him responsible for “forcible rape” .

The Allegations

According to Title IX documents and police reports reviewed by ESPN, the incident occurred in the early morning hours of October 18, 2025, inside Shanklin’s dormitory room at Riverbend Hall . Francis, a first-generation college student, alleges that while some initial sexual contact was consensual, Shanklin penetrated her without consent for nearly 20 seconds before she told him to stop .

Citing the Title IX complaint, ESPN reported that Shanklin asked Francis if she wanted him to stop, to which she allegedly said nothing, before the nonconsensual penetration occurred .

After the alleged incident, Francis says she texted Shanklin that she wanted to go to the hospital for a rape kit. According to the complaint, Shanklin asked her not to report it to police, and she “responded by asking how much money would she get if she took that offer.” He allegedly sent her $1,000 via CashApp . Francis also claims Shanklin’s mother texted her asking her not to press charges because it could ruin her son’s football career .

The Title IX Ruling and Controversial Appeal

LSU’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX opened an investigation in January 2026 and ultimately found Shanklin responsible for “forcible rape” in July . The original punishment was a one-year suspension from all campus activities and a full ban from campus .

Shanklin appealed the decision. In August, Administrative Law Judge Janet Waguespack upheld the finding of responsibility but reduced the punishment to four semesters of disciplinary probation without restrictions, allowing Shanklin to remain enrolled and eligible to participate in campus activities .

In her decision, Waguespack called the initial punishment “exceedingly harsh,” noting that the incident “occurred only on one occasion and the time was brief” and that there was “both consensual and nonconsensual activity” between the two students . She wrote that Shanklin’s behavior, “although nonconsensual, did not exhibit a deliberate disregard for the dignity and autonomy of Complainant but was instead an error in judgment” .

Francis Speaks Out

Francis said she learned of the reduced punishment two days into the current semester, reading the appeal decision in class .

“I ended up reading the appeal in my class and … it said he was still responsible for rape, but he’s able to play football, join orgs, and everything like that,” she said on TikTok. “That made my anxiety really, really bad because I don’t want to face this person” .

In her September 14 TikTok video, Francis expressed frustration with how LSU handled the case.

“LSU really does protect their athletes, especially their football players,” she said. “I really just wanted to bring awareness upon this situation because I’m just dealing with a lot right now, and I think that this story needs to be heard” .

She told WAFB in a tearful interview that the university “failed her” and that she was under the impression criminal charges would be pursued once LSU found Shanklin responsible .

Criminal Investigation Opens

The East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office confirmed it opened a criminal investigation in September after Francis filed a criminal complaint . DA Hillar Moore has requested all reports, interviews, evidence, and relevant records from LSU, LSU Police, Baton Rouge Police, and other agencies connected to the case .

Notably, the first police contact in the case came from Shanklin himself. According to the police report, around noon on October 18, 2025, Shanklin met campus police at the football operations center because he was concerned about possible accusations from Francis . The initial police response was reportedly classified as a mental-health call, and the Title IX office did not receive the police report until December 9 .

No criminal charges have been filed against Shanklin .

Shanklin Maintains Innocence

Attorneys Grant L. Willis and Morgan H. Johnson, representing Shanklin, issued a statement on October 1 maintaining his innocence.

“Damien Shanklin maintains his innocence regarding the events that occurred on October 18, 2025, and will fully cooperate with the criminal investigation,” the statement read .

The attorneys pushed back against the public narrative, stating: “What has been portrayed on social media and in the news thus far, is not a full account of all of the facts and circumstances surrounding this situation” .

They added that “all facts are not publicly available to not compromise the criminal investigation” and asked “that the court of public opinion cease to make any assumptions about any person involved until more information is publicly available” .

LSU’s Response

LSU President Wade Rousse released a statement insisting the university followed proper procedures.

“LSU and its current administration take very seriously any allegations of misconduct involving students on our campuses. Safety and security must be our number one priority,” Rousse said. “Let me assure everyone that this incident has been handled professionally and that LSU has strictly followed our policies, procedures and best practices, including the Title IX process, to guide our actions to date” .

Rousse added that the university’s role now is to “continue cooperating with our law enforcement partners as they work through their investigatory process” .

Shanklin’s Football Status

Shanklin, a four-star recruit from Indianapolis and rated by ESPN as the top high school prospect in Indiana in 2024, appeared in five games as a true freshman in 2025, recording two sacks in his debut against Southeastern Louisiana . However, he did not participate in preseason training camp this year and has not appeared in any games during the 2026 season .

Head coach Lane Kiffin has declined to comment extensively on Shanklin’s status since August, when he confirmed the defensive end was not practicing with the team.

“He is not practicing with the team right now and that’s all I can comment on that,” Kiffin said on August 12 .

Broader Implications

The case has prompted calls for review of how Louisiana universities handle Title IX investigations. State Rep. Vanessa Caston LaFleur raised concerns after Francis said she did not understand that a criminal investigation would not automatically follow a Title IX finding .

Journalist Jemele Hill also questioned why Kiffin has not faced more scrutiny over Shanklin’s continued presence on the roster, asking on social media: “Is anybody going to ask Lane Kiffin” about the situation .

The criminal investigation remains ongoing. Shanklin has not been arrested or charged with any crime, and his attorneys say he looks forward to “the day when all information surrounding this incident is brought to light and becomes public knowledge” .

This is a developing story. Stay with us for updates as more information becomes available.