At least seven people have been arrested for beating up two students at a Miami school that left the victims hospitalized, CBS News Miami reports.
The incident occurred Thursday near the SLAM! Charter School in Little Havana and was caught on cellphone video.
The recording shows a group of males attacking a peer on the ground. A second victim appears later in the video and is also on the ground.
One of the victims, a freshman, described the injuries to his face, including bruises, cuts and pain. “It’s hurting right here because this is where they hit me. And right here on the chin,” the victim told NBC6.
He and a friend were exiting the school when the other students approached and began assaulting them.
“I asked him, ‘Are they coming for us?’ And he went like this. After that, I blacked out. I don’t remember anything. Like I felt like I was in a dream. Like I was just on the ground. I could not feel anything. I just woke up to people telling me that I was going to be all right,” the student told NBC6.
The victim said the attack was unprovoked and he suspected the group was targeting someone else. His mother said she is thankful her son survived. “By God’s grace, my son is alive,” the mother told WSVN-TV. “I seek justice for everything.”
Other parents of students at the school have expressed outrage over the violence and are now taking action, including picking up their kids early.
“I feel kind of weird about it because it was too much that happened, just like murdering and violence going on, and I feel like it should be stopped because it’s not okay,” one parent told NBC6.
In a statement issued to students and their families, the school’s administration said they are investigating and are committed to ensuring the school is safe.
“We are currently working with authorities to investigate the incident and assist in identifying any persons involved. Anyone who initiated or used violence will face serious consequences,” the statement reads, according to NBC6. “We are committed to ensuring that our school remains a safe place for our students and families, even beyond our campus.”
The attackers were arrested and face charges of felony battery. At least some appear to be under 18.
To report information about the case, call the Miami Police Department at 305-579-6111 or Miami Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
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[Feature Photo: Pixabay]
