HAVERHILL, Mass. — The District Attorney’s office confirmed it’s now joining Haverhill Police in the investigation of the alleged hazing of football players at Haverhill High School after a disturbing video surfaced.
Boston 25 first brought you the 30-second video of the alleged hazing on Wednesday night that sent shockwaves through the town of Haverhill.
Several students were shown dragging another student across the floor of a locker room while trying to take his clothes off before another student, wearing only his underwear, twerks above the victim’s face.
The Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini issued a new statement supporting the superintendent’s decision to cancel the football teams’ season, and place coaches on paid administrative leave.
“I am concerned with the atmosphere and culture that allowed high school boys to allegedly stand around and do nothing while this happened,” says the city’s mayor. “We need to institute a program that instills in our youth a culture that says that it is your duty to prevent harm to others and to report wrongdoing.”
In a statement, Haverhill Public Schools said they are canceling all future practices and forfeiting future games, including the Thanksgiving Day game against Lowell.
The MIAA told Boston 25 that it’s too late to find a new opponent for Lowell, but it supports Haverhill’s decision.
“Participation in Interscholastic athletics is a privilege and not a right. And with that privilege are codes of conduct that individuals and teams should and must follow. And when they don’t, adults have to make decisions that are hard decisions that have ramifications,” says Bob Baldwin with the MIAA.
On Wednesday, Boston 25 News heard from a former player who says a similar incident happened to him when he played for the school in 2014.
“I had my cleats urinated in. I had somebody’s genitals in my face at some point. Not as bad as the incident that just happened,” says a former player who wishes to remain anonymous.
He says when he played on the team, no one was ever punished for what they did to him. In fact, he says he was forced off the team when he spoke up.
“It makes me angry, but at the same time I have learned from those experiences.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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