On April 24, a troubling incident involving alleged hazing within a local lacrosse team has drawn significant attention from law enforcement and the community. Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick described the incident as “way beyond hazing.” He stressed what a departure the players’ actions were. The attack was said to have left at least five victims. After lacrosse games, [they’d] agree to a ride home only to have their car taken to separate wooded areas and subjected to some scary shit.
Per Fitzpatrick, the driver of the vehicle even acted as if they were lost before their intentions turned more deadly. The scene was terrifying, witnesses said they could see people in black clothes coming from the treeline. Those who made it through were better-armed with at least one Glock and one Ka-Bar. Beyond the sheer terror from this alarming show of force that was used against the victims, the arsenal of weaponry further traumatized victims with long-term psychological effects. Fitzpatrick stated, “At some point by pre-arrangement, people came out of the woods all dressed in black. They were armed with what appeared to be at least one handgun and at least one knife.”
Fitzpatrick responded to the situation swiftly. He called for the players implicated to surrender themselves within 48 hours. He threatened that if they did not, he would make sure they were charged as adults. Addressing the gravity of the situation, he remarked, “I cannot really adequately express to this community the level of stupidity and lack of judgment involved in this case.” Fitzpatrick’s remarks go to the heart of his concern about the precedent set by this kind of behavior by youth athletes.
Fitzpatrick, a former collegiate athlete, emphasized the importance of resilience and mental toughness in athletics. He suggested that there are more effective approaches to developing these traits. “If you want to welcome someone onto your team and toughen them up, maybe an extra hour of practice might be appropriate, as opposed to taking someone at gunpoint, stuffing them in the back of a car and traumatizing them for the rest of his life,” he stated. His comments shine a light on an important discussion about what are appropriate rites of passage in the culture of sports versus toxic and illegal behavior.
This incident is certainly shocking and extremely concerning. The authorities response illustrates an even bigger problem with the culture of teams and the mentality of sports environment peers. Fitzpatrick’s remarks should be a cautionary tale to anyone looking to excuse or normalize aggression in the name of hazing.
Leave a Reply