Eleven upstate New York high school lacrosse players accused of leaving at least one younger teammate tied up in the woods in a cruel hazing stunt surrendered to authorities — a day after prosecutors threatened harsher charges if they failed to come forward.
The student athletes from Westhill High School in Syracuse — who were not identified due to their age — turned themselves in on Wednesday and were given appearance tickets for a later court date, according to the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office.
The teen suspects will each face misdemeanor unlawful imprisonment charges, according to District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick, who warned Tuesday that those who refused to turn themselves in would be hit with felony kidnapping charges.
“I cannot adequately express to this community the level of stupidity and lack of judgement involved in this case,” Fitzpatrick said.
“This goes way, way beyond hazing.”
The incident, described by Fitzpatrick as “hazing on steroids,” happened on April 24 when the older Westhill players tricked their younger teammates with a “prank” that left them scarred.
One of at least five victims identified by police said that after last week’s lacrosse game, he had gone to McDonald’s with the upperclassmen for a bite — but was then taken deep into the woods as the driver pretended to be lost, Fitzpatrick told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday.
Westhill High School in Syracuse, New York. Facebook/Westhill High School
Eleven Westhill High School students have been ordered to turn themselves in. Google Maps“At some point by prearrangement, people came out of the woods all dressed in black. They were armed with what appeared to be at least one handgun and at least one knife,” Fitzpatrick said.
“The individual had a pillowcase placed over his head, he was tied up and placed in the trunk of a car.”
The older bullies filmed the ordeal as the terrified student believed he may have been left alone there, according to Fitzpatrick.
The boys varsity lacrosse season is over at Westhill High School but some of the athletes were accused of hazing a student. WSYR-TV“There was a period of time where he thought that he was going to be abandoned in the middle of nowhere,” Fitzpatrick added.
“You can hear some of the individuals found it amusing,” he said.
The boy was eventually returned home but was left traumatized, the DA said. Some other younger students were also targeted and taken to the location “were able to escape,” Fitzpatrick noted.
“I understand the attitude of ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘it’s a rite of passage’ … I’ve seen the videotape of what happened to this young man. It is not a rite of passage, it is not a trivial matter,” he added.
Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images“I don’t know how long this man will be affected by what happened to him. Frankly, I find it incomprehensible that in this day and age someone thought they would have gotten away with something like this.”
Fitzpatrick gave the students 48 hours to turn themselves in and face charges of unlawful imprisonment, a misdemeanor.
But if they refused to voluntarily surrender, they would be tracked down, arrested and prosecuted as adults and charged with kidnapping, a serious felony, he said.
At least one of the suspects is 18 years old, with the rest minors whose cases will be handled in family court, avoiding a criminal record, First Chief Assistant District Attorney Joseph Coolican told CNN Wednesday.
“If they’re 18, they would be eligible for something called Youthful Offender status, which would seal the record in New York state,” Coolican told the outlet.
“If they turn themselves in and (are) charged with the misdemeanor, they would not have any permanent record.”
But if they refuse to turn themselves in voluntarily, they will be tracked down, arrested and prosecuted as adults and charged with kidnapping, a serious felony, he said.
The Onondaga Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Westhill Schools Superintendent Steve Dunham, however, provided a statement to CNN confirming that the varsity boys’ lacrosse season has been canceled, explaining that the sports program’s “culture” must be addressed.
He said the district is working and cooperating with law enforcement.
“Hazing is an indefensible act. It can be humiliating and degrading, potentially causing physical and emotional harm,” he told the outlet.
“Any behavior that negatively affects the physical safety, mental health or well-being of other students will be addressed promptly and appropriately according to our Code of Conduct,” Dunham continued.
“We do not shy away from difficult situations when they arise, nor do we avoid having to make difficult decisions.”
With Post wires
