The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office confirmed Friday that no charges would be filed against any students after a hazing incident at Western Hills University High School.
The announcement comes after Prosecutor Joe Deters said Wednesday during a press conference it was "highly unlikely" that any charges would be filed in the case.
Deters chastised Cincinnati Public Schools for firing their football coach Armand Tatum and canceling the football season, calling it an overreaction.
"Kids do dumb things all the time," Deters said. "Does it lead to criminal charges? Not here it doesn't."
Deters said no staff or coaches were present when the event took place.
He isn't the only one calling on CPS to reinstate Tatum. A petition has been created on Change.org for the reinstatement of Tatum, with over 3,000 signatures as of Wednesday.
Deters said the video of the incident was around five seconds long and was posted on Snapchat before it was deleted.
The hazing incident involving players from the West High football team (which includes Dater High) cost Tatum his job in September.
"The football coach is a good guy," Deters said. "He was helping these kids in a way they needed."
The Aug. 30 video showed a group of boys trying to pull down another boy's pants. The boy cries out for help while being held by his arms and legs while the group pulls his pants down. The group cheers out once they rip the boy’s boxers off, leaving him exposed.
"We are saddened and upset by what happened, and school leadership and the CPS administration is taking it very seriously. Actions like this are not representative of who we are as school communities, the young people that come to our campuses each day, or our staff. We want to assure you that we are acting swiftly and with gravity to address the situation," according to a letter from West High and Dater High School principals Carlos Blair and Jasmine Madison that was sent to families after the incident.
As a result of the incident, several students have been recommended for expulsion.
Deters says that this incident of hazing was not the first at West High and he speculated that hazing is an issue in all public schools and universities.
The West High football season has been "on pause" while the incident has been under investigation by Cincinnati Public Schools.
CPS will be meeting with student athletes and parents on Thursday to provide an update on resumption of practice and play, said Krista Boyle, Chief Communications Officer, Cincinnati Public Schools.
"As was stated earlier, actions like this are not representative of who we are as school communities, the young people that come to our campuses each day, or our staff," Boyle said in an email. "We stand by our position that incidents such as this will not be tolerated at Cincinnati Public Schools."
Contact Briana Rice at 513-568-3496 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @BriRiceWrites.
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