Football Players Charged With Attempted Rape Of Special Ed. Student

Five high school football players attempted to rape a special-education student in the locker room with a broomstick, according to court documents. The Seattle Times reports on the horrific details of the alleged crime at Juanita High School in Kirkland (Wash.):

The four 15-year-olds and one 14-year-old were arrested in October in connection with a sexual-assault investigation.

Court documents say an 18-year-old special-education student was lured into the shower area of the locker room, then held down by three of the boys, who pulled down his pants and underwear while another boy attempted to sodomize him with a broomstick. Witness accounts and text messages leading up to the event suggested the incident was planned.

Multiple students witnessed the attack, which reportedly lasted about 30 seconds, according to court documents. Several students reported to Kirkland Police Department detectives that they saw one student recording the attack with his cellphone.

The four 15-year-olds and one 14-year-old alleged to have perpetrated the crime have been charged with second-degree attempted rape, and were expelled from Juanita High School. Two football coaches were place on leave in November while the incident was being investigated, but have since returned to their jobs.

[ The Seattle Times]

Photo via Shutterstock; h/t TES