3 Crown Point teens caught on video in attack on classmate

Contributed By: The 411 News

Three teenagers face criminal charges after video of a brutal attack on another teen surfaced on social media

Pam Jones, Public Information Officer for the Lake County Sheriff's Office said two of the teens were booked into the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center. The third will face charges at a later date. The suspects and the victim are 15 years old and are freshmen at Crown Point High School.

An assistant principal at Crown Point High School became aware of the video being circulated among students at the school and contacted the sheriff’s department.

It’s believed the incident occurred Sunday, January 8th in a restroom at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. The victim was apparently lured into the restroom by a teen he thought was his friend.

The boy was punched, kicked and stomped on while another teen recorded the assault with a cell phone. The victim could be heard on the video pleading for his attackers to allow him to go home.

The victim suffered bruises and other injuries and is in the care of his family.

Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez, Jr. said, "I am disgusted by this display of violence and utter humiliation from the boys who preyed upon the young man in the video. 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."

Sheriff Martinez thanked administrators at Crown Point High School for reporting the incident. Mental health professionals from the Sheriff Department's Police Assisted Recovery Initiative (P.A.R.I.+) will be reaching out to the victim and his family to provide any resources they may need as they begin the process of healing.

Anyone with information on bullying, cyberbullying or other suspicious behavior can report it anonymously through the Lake County Tip411 text platform. Text the keyword LCSO and any information to 847411.

To report information on suspicious incidents by phone, calls are accepted at the sheriff department hotline: 1-866-USPOT-IT or 1-866-877-6848.

Also, reports can be made by dialing 9-1-1.

Sheriff Martinez said the case is still under investigation.

Story Posted:01/14/2023