Police say Louisville tight end Kemari Averett held gun to girlfriend's head

Louisville tight end Kemari Averett was arrested Monday night after police said he held a gun to his girlfriend's head and threatened to kill her.

Averett, 20, pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning to charges of first-degree wanton endangerment and domestic violence (fourth-degree assault).

Louisville released a statement announcing he has been banned from all team activities.

“Kemari Averett has been suspended immediately from all football activities per further investigation,” head coach Bobby Petrino said in the statement. “He will not have access to our facility or be involved in any team activities during this suspension."

Read more: How much is too much? Buyouts taking center stage in college football

The Courier Journal does not provide the names of women who claim to be the victims of domestic violence.

Police referred to the victim as Averett's girlfriend and said Averett is the father of her baby, but added that Averett "has been denying he knows victim and it's not his baby."

According to an arrest citation, Averett was at the woman's house Sunday night to study and left his backpack. The woman went over to Averett's apartment to return the backpack Monday night. He walked to the car and gave the woman a baby outfit and ultrasound pictures, according to the citation.

When he retrieved the backpack, he noticed his laptop was missing, the citation said.

She told Averett she wasn't aware the laptop was missing. Police said Averett then came at the woman, put a gun to her left temple and said, "(expletive), I will kill you."

Averett then told her to return to her hometown, and "I'll have my people looking for you," police said. He also told a witness in the back seat that, "I should pistol whip your (expletive) for running your mouth," the citation said.

The woman called police and stayed on the phone with a dispatcher while driving to a nearby liquor store, the citation said.

Averett was arrested by University of Louisville Police just before midnight on Monday night at an apartment just off-campus. He was booked into Louisville Metro jail.

Before Averett arrived at Louisville, he had been accused in 2014 of stealing a cell phone at gunpoint. He spent three months in a regional youth detention center before being released on bond. After violating the terms of that bond, he spent nine days in Atlanta's Fulton County Jail.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to a Courier Journal email request for comment.

Averett's bail was set at $10,000 at Tuesday's arraignment. He was also ordered not to have any contact with the woman and was prohibited from using or possessing any firearms.

Averett is scheduled to appear in court next on Oct. 26.

A sophomore football player, Averett has played in six games this season and started four.