High school lacrosse players accused of hazing 'deeply regret' their actions, attorney says
Share and Follow


The 11 high school lacrosse players accused of tying up a younger teammate in remote woodland as part of a hazing ritual last month regret their actions, their attorney said Thursday.

“Our clients and their families are devastated by the impact this incident has had on the Westhill community,” Tom Cerio of Cerio Law Offices said in a statement. “These young men deeply regret their involvement in what began as a misguided attempt at a prank. They recognize that their actions were inappropriate, and do not minimize the fear and distress experienced by the other students.”

All 11 players, students at Westhill High School in Syracuse, turned themselves in to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office in Upstate New York on April 30, after deputies had given them 48 hours to surrender or face felony charges of kidnapping.

As a result, District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick said last week that would receive appearance tickets for the less serious misdemeanor crime of unlawful imprisonment. They were not detained and will avoid criminal records.

Cerio said this clients appreciated the DA’s approach to the matter and said discussions with him would continue. He added that he hoped that the young men — who have not been identified because of their age — are not subjected to “irreversible punishment” by the school district, media and local community.

“As with any case involving young people, we urge a balanced approach, one that includes appropriate consequences, while also providing an opportunity to make amends and grow from their mistakes,” Cerio said.

The team’s coach at Westhill, Aaron Cahill, said last week in a now-deleted LinkedIn post that that he had no prior knowledge of the boys’ alleged hazing prank. Westhill Central School District Superintendent Steve Dunham said that the lacrosse season would be canceled in light of the incident.

Dunham said in a statement Thursday that the school was working through its own disciplinary process regarding the 11 players but couldn’t legally share the details of individual cases.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

How to Determine If AI Interactions Are Affecting Your Mental Well-being

Talk about omnAIpresent. Recent research by digital marketing specialist Joe Youngblood reveals…

Federal Agents Conduct Raid at Westlake Home Depot, Utilizing Penske Truck

WESTLAKE, LOS ANGELES — Several people were reportedly taken into custody after…

Texas soldier with top security clearance charged with attempting to pass sensitive tank data to Russia: DOJ

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A U.S. Army soldier…

19-year-old accused of impersonating officer, making fake traffic stops

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Maryland State Police say…

Texas Democrats Who Escaped to Illinois Evacuated from Hotel Due to Bomb Threat

Texas state House Democrats who left their state to prevent Republicans from…

IndyCar Challenges DHS Over Use of Racing Images

(The Hill) — IndyCar pushed back on recent Department of Homeland Security…

Army secretary hails ‘heroism’ of soldiers who tackled alleged Fort Stewart shooter: ‘Absolutely saved lives’

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Secretary of the Army…

Kelly Clarkson Postpones Las Vegas Performances Citing Family Health Issues

The Grammy-winning singer’s announcement came two days before her next scheduled performance.…