HORROR footage shows the moment a middle school student was being strangled by his coach.
The staffer charged behind the teenager before assaulting him in the corridor, according to the video.
Fox 2 DetroitThe horror footage showed the coach assaulting the student[/caption]
Fox 2 DetroitThe coach appeared to wrap a shirt around the boy’s neck[/caption]
It appears the incident, which unfolded at the Ypsilanti Middle School in Michigan, stemmed from a dispute after the boy, 14, was told to do push-ups, per the ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV.
Shocking surveillance footage, obtained by the Fox affiliate KTVI, showed the boy walking down the corridor before he was assaulted.
The coach followed the child before appearing to strangle him using a dark-colored shirt.
The footage then showed the teen trying to wrestle out of the chokehold.
Yolanda Ellis, the boy’s mother, was horrified by what unfolded.
“I’m outraged at the fact that someone would come behind a 14-year-old child and proceed to choke him,” she told KTVI.
She recalled how the assault had a traumatizing effect on her son.
“Since the incident, he has not been outside,” Ellis said.
She revealed her son, who looked up to the coach, didn’t want to go back to school.
Ellis admitted she wasn’t sure if her son would return to the school following the summer vacation.
She said the priority is for him to be safe.
The boy’s father shared her anger.
“They were very close and I was pretty upset,” Steve Moon told WXYZ.
Attorneys representing the family claimed that other staffers didn’t respond.
School district’s response in full
Alena Zachery-Ross, the school district superintendent, issued a statement after footage of a student being assaulted by a coach went viral. Her response in full:
“Dear Ypsilanti Community School Families,
I am writing to address a serious incident that occurred at the end of last week at our middle school.
Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and we want to reassure you that we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.
As soon as we were made aware of the incident, we took swift and decisive action.
We immediately contacted social services authorities and began cooperating with local law enforcement.
Such actions are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our district.
Effective immediately, the employee is no longer working at the school district and is not permitted to enter school property or attend school activities.
We understand the concern this incident may cause within our community.
Please know that we are committed to continuing to fully cooperate with the involved authorities.
Due to the ongoing nature of this investigation and the involvement of a student, we are unable to provide specific details.
Our district’s unwavering commitment is to create a safe and supportive environment for all students.
We will continue to implement and enforce policies that protect our students and ensure their well-being.
“Your understanding and continued support are invaluable as we navigate this difficult situation together.”
Source: KTVI
“In that video, there should have been other people rushing in and stopping that assault. I didn’t see that happen,” Jordan Vahdat, a Michigan lawyer, told KTVI.
He’s calling for someone to be held accountable and urged school chiefs to take action.
It has been reported no criminal charges have been filed yet.
Alena Zachery-Ross, the superintendent for the Ypsilanti Community Schools district, described the man’s actions as unacceptable and said they wouldn’t be tolerated, per ABC News.
She’s since revealed the coach no longer works in the school district.
She revealed the school is working alongside the local police force.
“We will continue to implement and enforce policies that protect our students and ensure their well-being,” Zachery-Ross said.
She acknowledged the impact the attack could’ve had on other students and their families.
The U.S. Sun has approached the Ypsilanti Community Schools District and The Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office for comment.
Fox 2 DetroitThe boy’s mom Yolanda Ellis was left furious[/caption]