Students in SC football camp fight face criminal charges, school board says
Several high school students involved in an altercation at summer football camp face criminal charges after one person was injured, the Pickens County school board announced Tuesday.
Presbyterian College was hosting a summer football camp for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes when numerous student athletes from D.W. Daniel High School got into an altercation on July 7. The camp, officials said, was sponsored by the high school.
The school board issued a statement Tuesday saying it was informed last week of a “very serious incident.” The incident “resulted in the injury of one student and criminal charges for several students,” the statement said. It gave no details about the criminal charges.
“The board is appalled that this serious incident occurred and that a student was injured duing a school-sponsored event.”
Board members said they expect the district administration to continue investigating the matter “from the top down,” including staff, student and programmatic issues.
“This incident will NOT be swept under the rug, and all appropriate corrective and disciplinary actions will be taken,” the board said in a statement.
A video of the incident, which was obtained by The State, shows at least two students attacking another student, hitting him with multiple punches. After the student being attacked lands on the floor, another student hits him at least four times, according to another video posted by WIS-10.
The school board called the video “disturbing.”
The district said it is committed to a thorough review of the situation and an investigation of the Daniel football program. Because of student privacy laws, the district said it is unable to provide specific details about the students involved or the disciplinary actions taken.
“However, all students involved in the situation will be disciplined, at both the school and athletic levels,” the school board said.
After an initial investigation, the Presbyterian College Campus Police referred the case to the state Department of Juvenile Justice and the 8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, officials said. The 8th Circuit includes Laurens County, the home of Presbyterian College.
David Stumbo, the 8th Circuit solicitor, said his office is working closely with the law enforcement agencies and the Department of Juvenile Justice.
“We will provide updates on the case when appropriate and as state law allows,” Stumbo said in a statement.
Asked Tuesday about any criminal charges, a spokesman for the solicitor’s office said he wouldn’t be able to answer any questions.
Attorneys with the Moorhead Lefevre Law Firm and the Kyle J. White Law Firm, which represent the family of the student who was attacked, said they are looking for any information about the incident or evidence that might be helpful in the ongoing investigation.
