11 Students Accused In Lacrosse Hazing Stunt Ordered To Turn Themselves In 

A precocious schoolhouse lacrosse squad successful upstate New York has had its play canceled and 11 players person been ordered to move themselves successful to nan Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office aft an off-campus hazing incident against younger squad members. Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick said nan incident involves students astatine Westhill High School successful Syracuse, New York.

The 11 students who allegedly instigated nan prank person 48 hours to move themselves successful aliases look felony charges of kidnapping. There are astatine slightest 5 victims successful nan case, and nan territory lawyer said this lawsuit “goes measurement beyond hazing.”

Why are nan students being ordered to surrender?

The older students told nan younger players they were going to McDonald’s aft watching a lacrosse crippled connected Thursday, April 24. Instead, nan kids were taken to a distant location successful nan confederate portion of nan county. Fitzpatrick said nan incident escalated to criminal activity erstwhile immoderate older players pretended to beryllium kidnappers.

“At immoderate point, by prearrangement, group came retired of nan woods each dressed successful black,” Fitzpatrick said. “They were equipped pinch what appeared to beryllium astatine slightest 1 handgun and astatine slightest 1 knife. The individual had a pillowcase placed complete his head, he was tied up and placed successful nan trunk of a car.”

That unfortunate believed he would beryllium abandoned successful nan woods, but was yet taken home. Four of nan different younger kids were capable to tally away. No 1 was physically injured during nan incident but astatine slightest 1 of nan victims knowledgeable affectional trauma. All 11 students progressive successful nan scheme, immoderate of whom are 18 years old, will beryllium prosecuted for what nan DA called “hazing connected steroids.”

“This was a group effort. Some group were assigned different roles. I don’t attraction who held nan gun,” Fitzpatrick said. “His domiciled is nary different than nan feline who held nan knife, than nan feline who held nothing, than nan feline who dragged this mediocre kid into nan trunk of a car. They’re each successful this together.”

What was nan consequence from nan schoolhouse district?

In an email to parents, Westhill School District Superintendent Stephen Dunham announced that nan remainder of nan lacrosse play has been canceled, contempt nan mostly of nan squad having nary engagement pinch nan incident.  

“Some whitethorn reason that each student-athletes shouldn’t beryllium punished for nan actions of a few. While I understand that perspective, we must reside nan civilization of nan program, and nan astir due measurement to do that is pinch a reset,” Dunham said.

What charges will nan students face?

Fitzpatrick said location are aggregate videos of nan hazing and immoderate students person fixed statements to nan sheriff’s office. To this point, nary 1 has been arrested. If nan 11 students accused of nan hazing move themselves successful by Thursday, May 1, they will look misdemeanor charges of unlawful imprisonment and their cases will beryllium handled successful family court.

“You person 48 hours to move yourself into nan sheriff’s section and nan pursuing will happen: You will beryllium fixed an quality summons pinch a crime of unlawful imprisonment, a people A misdemeanor,” Fitzpatrick said. “You will not beryllium spending clip successful nan nationalist information building, you will not person bail set, you will beryllium released to nan custody of your parents.”

The territory lawyer said If they don’t move themselves in, they’ll beryllium identified, arrested and look felony kidnapping charges arsenic adults. 

“If you’re tougher than me, you’re a gambler and you’re going to play nan odds, you don’t deliberation you’re going to get caught, spot me,” Fitzpatrick said. “The men and women of nan Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department are going to place you.”