After an investigation of a hazing incident at a high school football camp that took place on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, four of the high school’s football players are facing criminal charges.
Cleveland.com reports that the charges come as prosecutors turned up “multiple victims” of sexual assault in their investigation of the incident, which took place on June 10 during the Berea-Midpark High School football team’s camp on the college campus.
An anonymous tip reported the incident to the Ohio Department of Public Safety Schools Hotline, and Midpark High School principal Vincenzo Ruggiero reported the incident to local police. The Cleveland police launched their investigation on June 19.
While three of the players charged are minors and were charged in juvenile court, a fourth, 18-year-old Jabriel Williams, was identified. Williams is reportedly charged with rape, sexual battery, unlawful restraint, hazing, tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice.
School superintendent Tracy Wheeler said the district wouldn’t name the students involved, or provide comment on disciplinary action the school would undertake.
“Appropriate athletic and academic consequences will be handed out by the administration as deemed appropriate,” Wheeler told Cleveland.com in an email. “Students who were involved have been and will be given consequences from the school district; we cannot discuss those consequences with anyone other than the student and his parents.”
Wheeler added that no coaches had prior knowledge of the hazing incident.
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