Two brothers are among a growing number of wrestlers who competed for Liberty High School in Peoria, Ariz., and now allege sexual hazing at the school that in some cases spanned years.
As reported by local ABC affiliate KNXV, state-qualifying wrestlers Ryder and Rex Fortenberry left the Liberty team after their family reported concerns about athlete misconduct to school officials.
"It was multiple situations over the course of the years that we were on the high school team," Ryder Fortenberry said. "It wasn't just me and my brother; it was other kids that were victims to what happened."
Both the Peoria Unified School District and Peoria Police Department had previously investigated some of the claims, but both reopened their investigations this school year. The team's head wrestling coach, Eric Brenton, is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of the district's investigation, KNXV's Melissa Blasius reported.
Kevin Biniazan, the Fortenberrys' attorney, said he plans to file a notice of claim against the district, Brenton and the Liberty High School athletic director in the coming days. A notice of claim serves as the precursor to a lawsuit.
"The only way that we can effectuate change, we can make things better for people, and make up for what happened, is if we hold the people responsible for their reckless behavior and allowing it to occur," Biniazan said.
Brenton has denied knowledge of hazing when questioned by school district officials, Blasius reported.
Per KNXV, a different attorney representing three other former wrestlers filed a notice of claim earlier this month. The claim alleges members of the Liberty wrestling team were subjected to "sexual hazing, sexual harassment and attempted or actual sexual assault by fellow team members" in Liberty's wrestling room and on team trips. The lawyer said wrestlers were forcibly stripped naked, and in other instances, athletes pushed their genitalia into other wrestlers' faces.
