The hazing case involving Marcus High School football players has been sent to the Denton County District Attorney’s Office for the referral to a Grand Jury, according to Double Oak police.
Double Oak Police Chief Dan Miller released a statement Friday afternoon on the case in the town’s weekly update. The decision to send it to a Grand Jury came after the department completed its investigation.
“There has been much attention in the press and on social media regarding a hazing incident that occurred among high school students in the town of Double Oak,” said Miller. “After a thorough investigation by the Double Oak Police Department, felony charges have been sent to the Denton County District Attorney’s Office regarding this case for the referral to the Grand Jury.”
On Wednesday, NBC 5 reported the alleged hazing incident after the parents of a Marcus High School football player came forward about their son being stripped, shot by a pellet gun and called a racial slur by his teammates at a team dinner in Double Oak in October.
According to Lewisville ISD, the incident met the district’s definition of hazing and those involved were disciplined, though the district did not disclose the nature of the punishment.
Local representatives expressed their concern in regard to the situation, writing a letter to LISD requesting an in-person briefing.
“Together, we must ensure the parents and students across LISD that claims of assault, bullying and hazing are taken seriously,” said the letter, signed by State Representatives Ben Bumgarner, Mitch Little, Richard Hayes and State Sen. Tan Parker. “We have learned from other outlets that LISD has allegedly completed the internal investigation into this incident; however, we have no verifiable understanding of the facts that include disciplinary and preventive actions taken by the school district to hold those accountable and prevent this from ever occurring again.
According to the letter, the representatives are looking for the findings of the investigation, disciplinary action, what the district is doing to ensure it doesn’t happen again and what LISD is doing to cooperate with investigations by local law enforcement.
The district said it “did not find a culture of hazing within the entire Marcus High School Varsity Football Program,” however, it did find a history of “hazing” incidents amongst a specific group of players within the MHS Varsity Football program.
According to LISD, the district’s investigation has concluded. However, the criminal investigation is still ongoing with the case referred to a Grand Jury, which is why the local representatives are requesting the in-person brief.
“As you know, students and parents deserve the peace of mind knowing that the perpetrators are being investigated and will be held accountable,” read the letter. “Your time and assistance with this briefing is appreciated, and we look forward to meeting with you soon.”
