Four varsity football players were arrested last week in California in connection to an alleged hazing incident.
Police are conducting an investigation into the Dos Palos High School football team, and more arrests may be forthcoming, according to police chief Barry Mann.
“At this point, we’re hopeful there won’t be any more arrests, but we’re still speaking with many people and conducting the investigation,” Mann told the Merced Sun-Star.
The police department hasn’t released specifics into the hazing incident at the root of the investigation, but Mann said that “the core incident” took place Sept. 7 in a school locker room. The alleged victim is a 14-year-old boy.
The students who were arrested in connection to the case are minors, three 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old. Mann said that the details of the case are being kept quiet for now, in part because of the ages of those involved.
“It’s too early to comment on those types of details because of the nature of the hazing and the fact that the case does involve juvenile [suspects],” Mann said.
Three of the arrested students have already been charged in juvenile court with false imprisonment and hazing, according to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office. The fourth reportedly faces the same accusations.
“When some of these details become public, I think there’s going to be a healing process needed for the whole community,” Mann said.
