17-year-old among three arrested in viral schoolboy beating case
HANOVER, Jamaica – The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) on Friday confirmed that three people including a 17-year-old boy, whom they say is the main suspect, have been arrested in connection with the beating of a young male student from Hopewell High School, which was captured on video and widely shared online.
The young men arrested are reportedly linked to volatile communities in Hanover and St James.
The teenager has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in a press release on Friday, did not say whatever the others arrested have been charged with.
According to the JCF, the Wednesday afternoon incident involved a 15-year-old complainant who was reportedly walking home from school.
Lawmen say the 17-year-old accused, along with several other students, allegedly ambushed the young boy behind a church in the vicinity of the Orchard community in Hanover.
He was reportedly kicked in the head, neck, and back and was repeatedly slapped.
Police say this was the second incident as the complainant had been ambushed at that same spot by the 17-year-old and others, two days earlier.
The police added that under threat from the accused, the 15-year-old boy remained silent until Wednesday’s incident, which was captured on video, and went viral.
The 17-year- old boy is scheduled to appear before the Lucea Family Court on December 3.
Detectives from the Area 1 police are actively searching for two other suspects believed to be involved in the incident.
They are calling for the public’s assistance in finding the others who were allegedly involved in the incident.
