MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. — Two high school football players from McDowell County missed Friday night’s game.
The young men have been kicked off the team and arrested for hazing a fellow player. When the school principal reported the incident to police he called it sexual assault.
The two 15-year-old players were charged with misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon and hazing Sept. 2.
The McDowell County Sherriff’s Office said the hazing ritual took place near the football field in the boys' locker room. The ritual, involving a broom, has taken place for a couple of years.
"No previous notification had been made, so this was the first time we had heard of any incident of this nature," Brian Oliver, with McDowell County schools, said.
This time it was reported to Principal Edwin Spivey that the hazing went too far and turned into sexual assault.
"Any time you're dealing with a hazing incident or a bullying incident or harassment, it takes courage if you're the victim of that to come forward and be honest about it," Oliver said.
The 15-year-old victim is on the JV football team as a first-year player.
The sheriff's office says the two 15-year-old suspects assaulted him with a broom handle.
It's a hazing event the sheriff's office says multiple teammates knew about.
"I don't think you ever expect an incident of this nature. We just regret that it took place and that, yes, we're absolutely not happy with it and we're going to do everything in our power to make sure it doesn't happen again,” Oliver said.
One of the teens is also charged with obstruction of justice for trying to cover up what happened throughout the investigation.
WSOC
