Former N.C. State athlete's lawsuit claims sexual abuse by athletic trainer

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A former N.C. State soccer player has filed a federal lawsuit against the university claiming that the Director of Sports Medicine sexually abused athletes.

Our newsgathering partners at the News & Observer reported Tuesday night that Robert Murphy is the focus of the lawsuit.

Ben Locke filed the lawsuit and claimed Murphy sexually abused him from 2015 through 2017 while Locke was getting treatment for soccer-related injuries.

The lawsuit claims that "student-athletes were abused and taken advantage of by a sexual predator in their midst."

In an interview with the News & Observer, Locke explained why he filed the lawsuit.

"I don't want Rob to be able to do this to a single other young person, first of all, so I want him to be held accountable, and I want the university to be completely held accountable for what they failed to do," Locke said.

N.C. State told the News & Observer that the university is reviewing the lawsuit.

The school also said campus police and other officials investigated Locke's allegations when they learned about them earlier this year.

The university added that Murphy was quickly placed on administrative leave and said that "sexual misconduct of any kind is completely unacceptable."