FRUITLAND, Idaho (AP) — The Payette County Sheriff’s Office says its investigating allegations that three young athletes were hazed by fellow football players at a southwestern Idaho high school.
In a prepared statement released Monday, Payette Sheriff Andy Creech said his office is investigating a complaint alleging 11 members of the Fruitland varsity football team hazed three junior varsity players by taking them to an island, tying them to a fence and shocking one with a dog collar before releasing them.
Neither Fruitland High School Principal Marci Haro nor the school’s athletic director and vice principal Scott Hammond could be immediately reached for comment.
The sheriff’s office said the alleged hazing happened after the junior varsity team’s football game on Thursday. The varsity athletes first reportedly took the three junior varsity players, who were 14 and 15 years old, to McDonald's. After they ate, the varsity athletes allegedly restrained the victims in some way before taking them to an island in the Payette River, where they were tied to a fence. One of the victims was then shocked with a dog collar before the group was untied and returned to Fruitland High School, according to the sheriff’s office.
The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed at this point, Creech said in the press release.
