Turlock school district, police look into video-recorded attack by student on another
Police are investigating an incident recorded on video in Turlock, and circulating on social media, in which one youth repeatedly punches another while threatening him.
The Turlock Unified School District posted on its Facebook page Sunday evening that it has identified the student perpetrator and is “responding with our district disciplinary process to hold all responsible accountable and to provide immediate support to the victim.”
The statement reflects that a second youth recorded the assault on a phone and apparently did nothing to stop it. TUSD spokeswoman Marie Russell said that while the incident did not occur on a school campus, it happened near a school and while the students were on their way to or from their homes. Education code says students can be held accountable for behavior while heading to school and back, she said.
In the video, the boy being hit appears to say, “I didn’t do nothing.” Seconds later, he pleads, “Please stop. Please.” As he’s being hit, he turns his face toward the bed of a pickup truck for protection and uses his hands to protect the back of his head.
It sounds like the attacker says, “You ratted, huh?” at one point, and “Don’t snitch” at another.
A third youth, possibly the one recording the assault, says, “Don’t hit him in the face.” After the attack, the perpetrator and the one recording it slap hands in triumph.
The full video can be viewed here. Warning: graphic content
In a follow-up prepared statement to its Facebook post, the school district said, “TUSD appreciates all those who provided information in support of our ‘See Something, Say Something’ protocol. We are investigating this incident and will administer consequences aligned to our discipline policy. Turlock Police Department has also been contacted and is conducting their own investigation. We are committed to providing safe and secure campuses for all students in accordance with our No Bully Initiative.”
More on the initiative can be found on the school district’s web page on student health and safety, where the anti-bullying policy reads, in part: “In order to ensure respect and prevent harm, it is a violation of the Conduct Code for a student to be harassed, intimidated, or bullied by others in the school community, on the way to or from school, at school sponsored events, or when such actions create a substantial disruption to the educational process.”
In a news release Monday afternoon, Turlock police said the incident began as a robbery.
“Officers learned that three juvenile suspects had assaulted a juvenile victim and took items from him,” the release said. “Minutes after the original crime, one of the suspects approached the victim again and began punching him.” That incident was the one recorded and posted to social media.
Police are working with district employees to investigate the matter further. “Because this case involves juveniles, we will not be releasing any further information,” the release said.
Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact officer Brett Conrad at (209) 668-5550 ext.6610.
This story was originally published February 10, 2020 at 1:45 PM.
