Lacrosse hazing included high schoolers staging armed abduction, prosecutor says

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Members of a high school lacrosse program in upstate New York are accused of staging an armed abduction of younger players in a stunt that “went way beyond hazing," prosecutors said this week.

All 11 people believed to be involved in the events linked to the team at Westhill High School in suburban Syracuse have turned themselves in to face charges, the Onondaga District Attorney's office said Wednesday. They were given appearance tickets for a later date.

District Attorney William Fitzpatrick had given the students until Thursday to come forward voluntarily and face only misdemeanor charges of unlawful imprisonment. He warned Tuesday that those who did not would be charged with more serious felony kidnapping.

Fitzpatrick said the group was part of a “ruse” that involved inviting younger players to watch a game and then go to McDonald's. But one player was tied up, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car.

“I cannot adequately express to this community the level of stupidity and lack of judgment involved in this case,” Fitzpatrick said. “This goes way, way beyond hazing.”

Fitzpatrick said a person driving the younger players on the team pretended to get lost and pulled over in a remote area where other participants in the prank lay in wait in the woods, armed with at least one knife and a weapon that appeared to be a gun.

That’s when the students launched the fake abduction.

There were at least five alleged victims set up in the stunt, but some managed to get away, Fitzpatrick said.

The one who didn't escape had his hands tied and some sort of hood placed over his head. He was led to believe he would be abandoned, but was eventually returned home. While the student wasn't hurt physically, “emotionally, that’s going to be long term,” Fitzpatrick said.

“This is not lighting a bag on fire on Halloween and sticking it in your driveway, this is criminal activity,” he said, adding that it could have led to a fatal shooting if police had come across the scene and saw "a kid with a hood over his head being abducted at gunpoint.”

The events were captured on video, and Fitzpatrick said the local sheriffs office identified the 11 people — some of 18 years old — whom they believe participated either directly or indirectly.

Asked if all were members of the boys' lacrosse team, Fitzpatrick said it “appears that way, but I don't know that." He noted reports that the district's superintendent had canceled the rest of the varsity team's season.

Messages seeking comment were left for Westhill School District Superintendent Steve Dunham.

In a statement provided to Syracuse.com earlier this week, he said: “Our top priority is always the physical safety, mental health and well-being of our students” and that “any behavior that negatively affects any of these aspects for other students will be addressed promptly and appropriately according to our Code of Conduct.”