Two teenagers have been charged after a Grade 9 student was brutally beaten in the hallway of his Collingwood, Ont. high school on Friday.
A member of the community, Gary Kennedy, says he was sickened after he watched a video that showed the teenager being attacked by another student in the hallway of Collingwood Collegiate Institute.
Gary Kennedy said someone sent him the footage of the beating on Saturday morning.
“It turned my stomach actually to see it,” Kennedy told CTV Barrie on Monday. “It bothers me every time I watch it.”
The video, which was shot by a bystander on Friday, shows the boy lying on the floor of the hallway as another student repeatedly punches and kicks him. Eventually, another student pushes the boy’s attacker away and the Grade 9 student can be seen clutching his bloodied face as he stands up.
The victim’s mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said her son had to go to the hospital and suffered a concussion as a result of the brawl.
A 14-year-old male and a 13-year-old male have been charged with assault causing bodily harm. They cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Kennedy uploaded the clip to Facebook on Saturday night in order to draw attention to the incident.
“Somebody stood there and videoed it and that’s horrific,” the boy’s mother said. “The only good thing is people are seeing that video and hopefully that can be an impetus for change.”
The altercation was sparked online when her son was challenged to fight over the lunch hour on Friday, according to the boy’s mother. She said her son was followed down the hallway by two other students and a group of friends before the fight began.
The school board is conducting an internal investigation into the incident, according to a statement released on Monday.
“I can confirm that we are aware of the situation, and that it is being addressed at the school according to the board’s policies and procedures,” Melanie Stade Morrison, a spokesperson for the Simcoe County District School Board, wrote.
The boy’s parents are seeking an explanation as to how the fight occurred without the knowledge of high school staff members.
The injured Grade 9 student returned to school on Tuesday.
“My main priority is that he can just go to school and move forward feeling safe and supported,” his mother said.
The suspects are due in court in Collingwood on Oct. 5.
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
With a report from CTV Barrie’s Mike Arsalides
