Four students from Boyd High School, including two varsity football players charged as adults, are facing felony charges following an alleged hazing incident that left a 14-year-old student injured in a locker room. The police report details a violent episode where the victim was restrained and assaulted, leading to significant injuries.
The incident, which took place on September 3, involved the four players dragging the victim into a shower area, where he suffered spinal and back injuries. According to court documents, the young boy was forcibly held down while attempting to escape, despite his cries for help.
Boyd Police Officer Ray Cannon stated, “He was taken into the shower area, stripped of his clothes,” further emphasizing the severity of the situation. The parents of the victim alerted the school principal after learning about the incident, which was reportedly met with a lack of serious intervention from coaching staff.
Witness accounts indicate that a coach, upon hearing the commotion, instructed the players to “settle down” before leaving the locker room. This inaction has raised questions about the responsibility of the coaching staff in addressing such behavior.
Medical evaluations revealed multiple bruises on the victim, particularly along his back and spine. Officer Cannon remarked, “There have to be consequences. We can’t let someone get away with something just because they’re in high school or because they’re younger.”
Defense attorneys for one of the accused players remarked that the incident reflects a long-standing culture of “hijinks” in locker rooms, suggesting that previous similar behaviors had not been adequately addressed by the school’s administration. They argue that context and culture should be taken into account.
Despite these claims, police maintain that the actions taken against the victim clearly constitute assault. A portion of the incident was captured by security cameras located in a nearby weight room, providing further evidence of the alleged crime.
The four students are now facing felony charges for injury to a child causing bodily injury and unlawful restraint, marking a significant legal response to the troubling incident.
