Fla. Student Who Attacked Teacher to Be Charged as Adult, Held on $1M Bail
The student pushed the teacher to the ground, knocking her unconscious, and then continued to hit her more than a dozen times.
A still shot from surveillance video shows the student shove the teacher to the ground, knocking her unconscious. (Source: Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A 17-year-old student is facing felony assault charges for attacking a Matanzas High School employee after she took away his gaming device.
Video released by law enforcement shows the teen rush toward the paraprofessional and violently shove her to the ground, knocking her unconscious, reports USA Today. The boy, who stands 6’6″ tall and weighs 270 pounds, then jumped on top of her and kicked and punched her in the back and the back of the head about 15 times, according to a charging affidavit.
Several people are seen struggling to pull the student off the victim but were eventually able to restrain him following the 25-second attack. He was escorted from the area and later placed in custody.
As the student was led away in handcuffs, body camera video shows he spit twice toward where the victim was receiving medical treatment and yelled that he would kill her.
The victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for severe injuries and has since been released. According to a GoFundMe page set up to help the victim, she is recovering at home after the attack.
“This could have been a homicide. When you push people down like that, they hit their head, you never know the outcome,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said of the attack. “Thankfully, students and staff members came to the victim’s aid before the school resource deputies could arrive.”
The student has been charged as an adult with felony aggravated battery with bodily harm, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. He is being held on $1 million bail at the Flagler County Jail. Several sources report the student has special needs.
About the Author
Amy Rock, Senior Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Senior Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
Related Content
Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
