Shocking video shows White Casey County Middle School student choking Black boy as students cheer
A six-second video has gone viral that shows a White student holding a Black student in a chokehold until he passes out while other students laugh and utter racial slurs. As per the school district, the incident happened in the bathroom of Casey County Middle School on April 22.
The accused Kentucky teenager has been charged with fourth-degree assault and felony strangulation. The police state that what happens to the suspect will be up to the juvenile court system, which is not public record. "I think it was reported by school staff that it was kind of a horseplay incident, and then once the video surfaced later it was discovered it was quite a bit more than that," said school resource officer Jordan Buis.
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"Stuff like this, personally, I am not going to tolerate it when it is known. I mean, of course, teachers and I can't be everywhere at any given time, and with that being in the bathroom made it extra difficult, too. If anything criminal happens it is going to be dealt with and we have several times in the past and this incident is no different as far as doing criminal charges," Buis told Fox 56.
He added, "Every school deals with fights and altercations. Every one of them is different. I can't say I have had a situation with strangulation at the school. That’s definitely a first. With criminal charges it is my understanding that any type of stuff like that is added on in the sentencing phase later in court," as per WSAZ 3.
Casey County Middle School released a statement on Facebook saying, "CCMS is committed to our core values and school-wide expectations instilling in our students to be respectful, show integrity, have a safe learning environment, and excellence in every aspect of being a successful student in our school."
Superintendent Barry Lee told ABC 36, "Casey County Schools is aware of the video circulating on social media involving an incident at Casey County Middle School. The incident took place this past Friday, and the school administrators took immediate action with the support of a Liberty Police Department deputy who serves as the School Resource Officer (SRO). The school administrators and the SRO have been in communication with the parents throughout the investigation."
He added, "No further information can be released due to all parties involved are juveniles, and the investigation is still ongoing. The behavior that occurred in the video will not be tolerated. The school administrators and the SRO took immediate action but we must continue to be proactive in helping our students to understand that this is not acceptable behavior in our schools or in our communities."