MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) — The parents of a freshman quarterback on the Davidson High School football team said their son suffered a broken arm during a “hazing” incident at the school on Friday, April 27.
Four players have been suspended since the attack, according to a Mobile County Public School System spokesperson.
Mobile Police say officers responded to the school at approximately 4:30 p.m. in reference to an assault complaint.
They said the 14-year-old victim, Rodney Kim Jr., who had just gotten promoted to the varsity team, stated after practice the team was headed to the locker room and one of the leaders of the team pushed him to the floor. That’s when about twenty other upperclassmen started hitting, kicking and physically jumping on top of him. Cell phone video shows all of it. Kim’s father watched it.
“There’s some hatred in there, I mean they beat him, they maliciously beat him. I mean, it’s just uncalled for…I mean you never envision your child, being so helpless, and you can’t do anything,” said the boy’s father, Rodney Kim Sr.
Friday afternoon, the freshman’s parents got a call that he’d been hurt at practice. Before taking him to the hospital, they quickly figured out what happened. Kim has a busted lip, bruises, and a broken arm. He had surgery on his arm on Wednesday.
The player’s mother, Mary Kim, says in addition to the four boys suspensions, she wants more punishment for those involved.
“I’m asking for the Mobile Police Department to do their job, you came on the news, MPD, just two weeks ago saying do not take matters into your own hands. So now I’m asking you, to do your job please…it has to stop, and I’m praying that it stops with my son.”
She also says her son had just told her about another “hazing” incident the week before, but nothing was done about it. She wants the school administration and coaches to look into that too.
Police tell us assault charges could be coming for the players involved, but no one has been officially charged yet.
We have heard back from Davidson High head football coach Fred Riley, who tells us he does not want to comment.
