A 16-year-old student at Lakeside High School was charged Friday with simple battery for head-stomping a smaller classmate, authorities said.
Video of the hallway attack shows the suspect bringing his foot down on the classmate’s head as the victim cowers underneath his shirt and tries to protect his head. A crowd of students stand around in shock, some recording the brutal attack and one trying to stop the suspect. The suspect continues to grab the victim and scream at him.
The video, provided by The Austin Rhodes Show, is shown here.
Principal Juliet King alerted parents of the hallway disturbance in a letter, saying it disrupted class change at the Evans school.
“All parties responsible for the incident will be held accountable according to the code of conduct as well as any violation of the law,” King said. “Following the incident, students resumed the day’s activities.”
The victim’s mother reportedly told school officials that she did not want criminal charges filed, but Columbia County school police decided the assault required an arrest. The mother then saw the video and changed her mind on charges. The teen will face a juvenile court judge.
“Safety of students and staff is a top priority and inappropriate physical contact is not acceptable and will not be tolerated,” the principal said. “Any suspicious behavior should be reported to a teacher, school administrator, or the Columbia County School District Police.”
