A 15-year-old Crown Point boy, lured into a restroom by another teen he thought was a friend, was brutally attacked while another boy recorded the incident, police said Friday.
In a release, the Lake County Sheriff’s office said the incident, involving teens who attend Crown Point High School, took place Jan. 8 inside a restroom at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point.
Police said the three teens accused of assaulting their classmate face criminal charges in the incident posted on social media.
A Crown Point High assistant principal alerted the sheriff’s office when the video began circulating, police said.
The boy was punched, kicked and stomped on while another teen recorded the assault with a cell phone. The victim can be heard on the video pleading for his attackers to allow him to go home.
Police said the suspects and the victim are 15 years old and are freshmen at Crown Point High.
Two teens were booked into the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center. Police said the third teen will face charges at a later date. Their identities were not released.
The victim suffered bruises and other injuries and is in the care of his family, police said.
“I am disgusted by this display of violence and utter humiliation from the boys who preyed upon the young man in the video,” said Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.
“The images literally made me sick to my stomach. Not only did they bully and assault the boy physically, but they also attempted to shame him even further by spreading the video among other students. This kind of violence is pure evil and cannot be tolerated.”
He said his department’s mental health counselors would reach out to the victim for services and he commended the high school administrator for reporting the incident.
The case is still under investigation.
Anyone with information on bullying, cyberbullying or other suspicious behavior can report it anonymously through a Tip411 text platform. Text the keyword LCSO and any information to 847411.
There’s also a hotline to contact with information on suspicious incidents: 1-866-877-6848.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter at the Post-Tribune.
