Iowa State football player and another student are charged after BB guns recovered in late-night campus search

Luke Nozicka | The Des Moines Register

An Iowa State University football player and another ISU student have been charged after campus police received reports of possibly armed individuals on campus last week, authorities said.

Dallas Taylor-Cortez, an 18-year-old freshman defensive back, was charged with third-degree harassment, a simple misdemeanor, police said.

Tyciera Whitaker-Wells, a sophomore majoring in early childhood education, was charged with false report to a public entity, also a simple misdemeanor.

The two were charged as part of an ongoing investigation after campus police received reports of armed individuals near a university apartment complex Thursday night. Police recovered multiple BB guns.

Charges may be filed against other people, officials said.

Taylor-Cortez is among four true freshmen on the football team who have been suspended indefinitely for what coach Matt Campbell called “multiple incidents of poor choices and behavior.”

At about 10 p.m. Thursday, police said in an initial ISU Alert message that as many as four men — two of whom were possibly armed with what was believed to be a handgun and a rifle — were reported near the Frederiksen Court complex north of the Ames campus.

The message went out to students and family members who have signed up for the mobile notifications. Police urged students to stay away from the area as ISU and Ames police officers searched.

After two ISU Alerts were sent out to students, officials gave the "all clear" update more than an hour later. The individuals involved lived in the complex, police said.

Check back for updates.