LAWRENCE | Kansas freshman basketball player Markieff Morris, one of KU coach Bill Self&#8217;s most-prized recruits in the 2008 class, faces a battery charge for an incident involving a BB gun late Saturday night.</p><p>Morris, according to a police report, shot a 47-year-old Wisconsin woman with a plastic BB from his residence window at Jayhawker Towers. The victim, Sue Dlugopolski, is the mother of KU swimmer Lisa Dlugopolski, who lives in the dorm. Sue Dlugopolski was not seriously injured, according to Jim Marchiony, KU associate athletic director for external relations.</p><p>Morris, 18, was suspected of using alcohol, the report said. He was told to appear in Lawrence Municipal Court at 1 p.m. Sept. 10, on the battery charge.</p><p>&#8220;We take this matter very seriously,&#8221; Self said. &#8220;Poor judgment was used by ever bringing an Airsoft gun, (one) that can be purchased at Wal-Mart, on campus that can shoot plastic BBs. I would say, concerning any alcoholic consumption, we do not condone that either. I am still gathering information to see if that actually occurred.&#8221;</p><p>Marchiony said the KU Department of Student Housing also was gathering information, including the details of the incident and who was involved.</p><p>&#8220;Until that process is over,&#8221; Marchiony said, &#8220;we&#8217;re not going to have a comment, except to say that people shouldn&#8217;t jump to conclusions before the process is complete.&#8221;</p><p>Attempts to reach Sue and Lisa Dlugopolski were unsuccessful. Marchiony said that the victim&#8217;s status as the mother of a current KU student-athlete wouldn&#8217;t complicate the situation.</p><p>&#8220;It would be the same if it were an individual who was not related in any way to KU,&#8221; Marchiony said.</p><p>Marchiony said he expected the Department of Student Housing to reach a conclusion as quickly as possible. He wouldn&#8217;t speculate on possible punishment for Morris.</p><p>According to the University of Kansas weapons policy, &#8220;The university prohibits employees and visitors from possessing, carrying or using weapons on property owned by or under the control of the university. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal of employees or expulsion of students.&#8221;</p><p>The question, then, would appear to be whether the black, 3-foot long Airsoft rifle, worth an estimated $100, can be considered a weapon.</p><p>Neal Barnes, who runs Neal&#8217;s Airgun Repair in Kansas City, said the gun probably doesn&#8217;t have the velocity to penetrate skin from a distance. He did say that it could take somebody&#8217;s eye out, though.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s like any weapon,&#8221; Barnes said. &#8220;It&#8217;s the way it&#8217;s used. I couldn&#8217;t say it&#8217;s potentially deadly, but I know they hurt like (heck) when you get shot by one. They put a sting on you, like a bee sting. If you shoot somebody that&#8217;s not expecting it, they&#8217;re going to think they&#8217;ve been shot. But it should just welt somebody, if it does that much.&#8221;</p><p>Morris and his twin brother, Marcus, arrived on campus in late June from their native Philadelphia and began taking KU classes, despite not being cleared by the NCAA to play. As the Jayhawks begin practice today in preparation for a Canadian exhibition tour, the Morrises still have not been cleared.</p><p>Self said that, if awarded clearance by practice time today, the Morris twins would attend.</p><p>Markieff Morris is not the only Jayhawk currently facing legal proceedings. KU junior point guard Sherron Collins faces a civil trial on April 15, stemming from an allegation that Collins exposed himself and rubbed against a woman, Jessica Brown, in May 2007 in a Jayhawker Towers elevator.