Two high school students have been expelled in connection with a hazing investigation that includes allegations of sexual assault.
Both students were part of the soccer team at Clark High School in Hammond, Ind. More disciplinary actions could be taken against more students.
School officials say the victim stopped attending classes at Clark after the alleged incident.
“I heard it on Facebook first, and the initial reaction was like, ‘What? Are you kidding?'” said Angie Martinez, parent.
The allegations are disturbing. A freshman male soccer player says he was sexually assaulted by teammates in a locker room at Clark.
After the alleged incident, the victim says the students forced him into the shower, turned on the water, and left the locker room. The victim says someone tried to help stop the attack but couldn’t.
“It’s just something that you don’t think you should go through,” Martinez said.
The incident was reported last month. The school says it took swift action, sending home a letter to parents and contacting police.
After interviewing 20 soccer players, the school expelled two students.
Superintendent Dr. Walter Watkins says more students could be disciplined.
“There may be others that may be disciplined based on the investigation and the report from the Hammond Police Department,” said Watkins.
The victim told police he wasn’t the first victim of this type of attack. He heard it happened before to another student joining the soccer team.
“That wasn’t hazing. That was sexual brutality,” said George Spann, grandparent.
Dr: Watkins says hazing isn’t a problem in the district.
“As far as it being a district problem, I don’t believe it is. If it is, just like this situation, it’s been well under-covered,” he said. “If there are plans that need to be put in place to protect our kids, then we will just do just that.”
The Juvenile Division of the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating. They say they have begun the process of formally charging the students involved.