Victim’s family, attorney to hold news conference amid Viera High School hazing investigation

1 year ago 299

ClickOrlando.com will stream event live

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The family and attorney of the student targeted in a hazing incident within Viera High School’s football team last month will hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon at a church in Rockledge.

Video of the incident showed players in a locker room acting inappropriately toward an underclassman. Most of the incident was recorded by a team member and later put on social media, according to Brevard County deputies.

All junior and varsity football activities — as well as some students — were suspended as head coach Shane Staples was relieved of coaching duties, yet the team was allowed to return to practice by Aug. 23, two days after the sheriff’s office announced a criminal investigation was underway. This was due in part to “players and coaches taking part in an anti-hazing educational program” following the incident, according to a news release from Brevard Public Schools.

After the sheriff’s office got involved, investigators determined the hazing incident possibly occurred on Aug. 14, though school administration reported not hearing about it until Aug. 16.

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During a school board meeting in late August, a woman who identified herself as the mother of the teen who was targeted in the incident said that the players involved took football away from him.

“Anti-hazing computer-based training is not going to solve the problem. It’s only a Band-Aid if you don’t get to the root of what’s really going on,” she said. “...For me, there is no timeline for justice and there is no timeline for the emotional trauma that will be left behind when things go back to business as usual.”

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The news conference is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., at Fiske Boulevard Church of Christ.

ClickOrlando.com will stream the event live at the top of this story when it begins.

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