Two Rhode Island high school football players were arrested for allegedly pummeling a special needs classmate, forcing the administration to cancel the remainder of their season, according to police.
One of the 16-year-old students from Rogers High School in Newport was charged Friday with assaulting his classmate on two separate occasions after cops discovered a video that allegedly showed him pummeling the victim in the boy’s locker room in front of teammates, according to police.
A second 16-year-old was busted on Saturday and charged with assaulting the same boy, whom police said has severe impairments.
Newport Public Schools Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain told the community that the special needs student was assaulted before a football game while the players were “roughhousing.”
Footage of the incident shows that none of the other players stepped in to stop it.
“It has been brought to our attention that before football games, there is somewhat of a practice that includes ‘roughhousing’ and players hitting each other. One of the players took this to an extreme level that is entirely unacceptable,” she wrote, according to WJAR.
“Even more disturbing, the video we have seen shows other players not intervening, or bringing this matter to the attention of an adult.”
After the team met with the principal, coach and athletic director, Jermain decided the school would end its football season “immediately.”
“This is a serious matter and there is no grey area when it comes to behavior like this. Those involved will face appropriate disciplinary actions in accordance with our district policies,” Jermain added.
“Back in the day, it may have been okay for some locker room ‘roughhousing,’ but today it is not, and our athletes need to understand as leaders, as athletes, and as representatives of our community, that this behavior will never be tolerated at Newport Public Schools.”
The Newport Police Department said they are barred by state law from releasing the names of those involved or detailed arrest reports.
Police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
