Roanoke Rapids (N.C.) High School football coach Chris Lyons has been suspended indefinitely after a student-athlete lost part of their finger in an alleged hazing and bullying incident while under Lyons’ supervision.
According to WXII 12, first responders were called to Roanoke Rapids High School on Thursday evening after receiving reports of a student with a “severe hand injury.” The student-athlete was transported to the hospital where he remained over the weekend, recovering.
Coaches and school administrators accompanied the student to the hospital, where they were later told that the injury was the result of “potential assault or bullying behavior by one or more individuals" in the football program.”
The injured student-athlete’s mother told WRAL News that her son is a freshman on the Roanoke Rapids High School football team, and he broke several bones and lost his finger in Thursday’s incident. The family has retained an attorney and is pushing the school for answers.
According to WCTI12, school officials interviewed more than 20 student-athletes and other individuals involved with the football team, resulting in the suspension of coach Lyons. During those interviews, other incidents of bullying and hazing were also uncovered.
Assistant coach Dre Terry was named as interim head coach while the investigation continues.
“First, our thoughts and prayers are with our athlete who was injured yesterday,” superintendent Dr. Bennett Jones said. “We will continue to support him and his family as he recovers. The Roanoke Rapids Graded School District will not tolerate bullying, harassment, hazing, or any other form of violence or intimidation in its schools or programs. We will enforce the laws and policies of our district and will continue to investigate any claims brought to school officials. If students have concerns or are facing harassing behavior, we encourage them to reach out to a trusted adult in the school for help. We also have the “See Something, Say Something” application on our website to report concerns anonymously and parents can always email their concerns to [email protected]. As a district, we will examine what additional educational and preventative measures may be necessary to ensure that every coach and student understands our expectations and feels safe reporting concerns.”
