A group of high school wrestlers in Wyoming reportedly engaged in one of the most disturbing hazing incidents in recent memory when a freshman was reportedly waterboarded by his upperclassman teammates.
According to a report by the Casper Star-Tribune, the incident in question occurred at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, and was instigated when the freshman winked at his older teammates after being teased. The hazing that followed was meant as retribution for that action, as outlined by the Star-Tribune:
Though he tried to escape, the attackers “yanked him back, and they threw him on a bench,” one of the sources said. “One kid held his legs, two other kids held his arms, they put a towel over his head, and one kid said, ‘Let’s piss in his mouth.’”
The victim struggled harder and the towel fell off, the sources said. Then the attackers put it back over his face and began pouring water over the victim’s mouth and nose.
The victim began to choke, and they let him sit up. They rubbed a cream on him typically used by wrestlers after a match to protect against skin infection, though the source was unsure why. The victim stood up and walked into the showers to wash it off.
The alleged victim and his parents declined to comment to the newspaper, but two unidentified sources provided details of the incident to the newspaper. It’s known that the victim did tell his parents about the alleged hazing because they went to meet with the Kelly Walsh principal and athletic director the day after the attack allegedly took place.
The team’s wrestling coach Travis Peak has refused comment and is reportedly under direct instruction not to offer any comment about the allegations.
The alleged attackers, who instigated the hazing in early January, were reportedly suspended from school for an unknown amount of time and also forced to miss at least two tournaments. Still, it’s reportedly unknown to what degree local police has become involved. While sources told the newspaper that police were involved in an investigation into the incident, there were no details about whether any investigation was still ongoing.
The alleged victim has already withdrawn from the school and moved with his family away from Casper.
