A disturbing video, allegedly taken a week ago at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, shows a brutal beating that led to the hospitalization of one teen and the arrests of another five. While a few students examined the boy lying unconscious on the ground, many more kept recording the chaos.
Witnesses told Local 10 News the Dec. 12 incident escalated out of control from a small argument after school dismissal. The video shows a group of boys fighting a teen when suddenly, someone picks him up and slams him head first onto the concrete. The group scatters and the teen is seen lying twisted on the ground with no movement. A few students approach the teen and try to turn him on his back but his arms and legs appear limp. The clip ends as an adult approaches.
All during the quite disturbing scene of these kids trying to figure out if the teen is unconscious or worse, a far too common phenomenon is occurring in the background: students are using their phones to capture the chaos instead of calling for help. The video can wait, this boy could’ve died.
It’s unclear who signaled the Coral Springs Police Department to respond. The Root is awaiting a response to a records request with the department to clarify. However, some parents argue a lack of security from the CSPD is what allowed this incident to occur.
“The District needs to step in, [Broward Sheriff’s Office] and Coral Springs [PD] need to work together to secure that parking lot because that should’ve never happened,” said one MSD father to Local 10. One mother suggested there should’ve been an officer present in the parking lot where the fight happened but according to the report, there are usually two school resource officers present at dismissal but only for 20 minutes.
The CSPD said with help from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Broward County State Attorney’s Office, they identified the kids in the video. Five teens, all under the age of 18 years old, were arrested last Thursday and charged with felony battery. A sixth person is being sought by the department.
As for the victim of the incident, the report says he sustained a skull fracture and is home following hospitalization.
“This incident is deeply upsetting, and we’re thankful that the injured student is recovering. Our thoughts are with him, his family and all of the families that have been impacted,” said Broward County School Board Chair Lori Alhadeff in a statement.
Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is the same high school where Nikolas Cruz opened fire killing 17 people in 2018.