New York high school lacrosse hazing ‘could have been catastrophic,’ DA says

Onondaga County, New York, District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick joined “Fox and Friends” on Thursday to discuss a hazing case by a Syracuse high school lacrosse team that has made national headlines. 

“If a sheriff’s deputy or a state police officer had come upon the scene and saw four armed men all dressed in camouflage and dark clothing abducting a young man, it could have been catastrophic,” Fitzpatrick told “Fox and Friends” host Lawrence Jones. 

Eleven Westhill High School lacrosse players turned themselves in to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday and will face misdemeanor unlawful imprisonment charges stemming from a heinous act of hazing that allegedly involved kidnapping a younger teammate at gunpoint, putting a pillowcase over his head, binding him up and stuffing him in the trunk of a vehicle. 

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“Weapons could have been drawn, and shots could have been administered to the kids,” Fitzpatrick said. “It could have been an absolute disaster.” 

He told “Fox and Friends” that after further investigation, the gun used in the incident appears to have had a bright red or orange tip, and was likely fake.

Four of the 11 suspects are 18 years old and will face their charges in local justice courts that handle minor criminal matters, while the others will be subject to proceedings in juvenile courts, according to Fitzpatrick. 

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However, none will have criminal records after their cases are adjudicated, under a deal the district attorney offered during a stern press conference on Tuesday. If they turn themselves in, Fitzpatrick said during the press conference, they would face the misdemeanor charges. If not, they would all be tried as adults on felony kidnapping charges. 

“In any event, none of the 11 — if they jump through the hoops that the court mandates — will wind up with criminal records, which I think is fair, despite the idiocy of what they did,” Fitzpatrick told Jones. 

Jones asked Fitzpatrick how the incident had come to his attention in the first place. 

“Some of these geniuses posted this on social media in some misguided effort to impress their friends, and we monitor that sort of thing,” he said. “The sheriff’s office became aware of that and then notified my office, and we started an investigation.” 

Westhill Central School District Superintendent Stephen Dunham released a statement Wednesday. 

“This is an incredibly serious situation, and the District continues to cooperate fully with the District Attorney and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department. Because this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to provide further comment at this time,” Durham said. 

“What I can share, as Superintendent, is that any behavior that endangers the physical safety, mental health or well-being of our students will always be addressed promptly and in accordance with our Code of Conduct. We remain committed to addressing serious issues directly and thoughtfully, and we will make the decisions necessary to uphold the values of our school community.”