MEAD, Wash. — Mead High School students walked out of class Monday in protest after several football players were accused of assaulting their own teammates.
Dozens of students who participated in the walkout said it's time for district leaders to acknowledge repeated incidents last summer at football camp. Incident reports from Eastern Washington University (EWU) police state two students were held down by fellow teammates and assaulted with a massage gun. Students say it's time for those responsible to be held accountable.
KREM 2 first revealed the police documents that show the incident happened in June 2023, but wasn't reported to police for eight months. Parents told officers their kids said "younger students were being hunted down/targeted for hazing purposes by upper classmen" while they were staying at the EWU dorms during summer training camp.
An internal Mead investigation report shows coaches knew about social media videos showing the incident from different angles, as soon as three weeks after it happened, but said it only depicted "laughing, shouting and something resembling a "dogpile." Officials said it was "hard to determine what was happening, apart from horseplay and/or roughhousing."
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) took the lead on the investigation and ultimately found probable cause to charge four teens with fourth-degree assault, a gross misdemeanor. The students never actually faced those charges because they entered into a diversion program, agreeing to certain conditions to avoid being charged.
"I don't think letting people who have committed crimes, and getting charged, legally, for it should walk the school with other people," one student told KREM 2. "It's putting all of these students at risk, and making us all feel uncomfortable. It's making it hard to come to school."
The district told parents through an email that students have the right to express themselves and peacefully demonstrate. The Monday walkout took place without incident and was over in time for students to return to their third period classes.
The district issued the following statement following the walkout:
We recognize and respect our students' right to express their perspectives and peacefully demonstrate in a safe and respectful manner. As we navigate these challenging and complex issues, we will continue to work with students, families, and staff to create a path forward with a continued focus on our core values.
WATCH ALSO: Mead High School football players accused of assaulting teammates | KREM 2 Investigation
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