Two Lawrence High School students were attacked near the school on Monday in what one of their parents described as a beating so violent her son was left convulsing on the ground. The city's police department says they have identified five of the people responsible.
Police said the investigation began when officers were called to Sullivan Park, next to the Lawrence High School Campus Monday afternoon where they found one student injured and lying on the basketball court and a second with a cut on his face. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment, and their parents called.
The mother of one of the victims said her son is in tenth grade. She spoke with Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra in Spanish, detailing her outrage.
Aurelquis Rosario said when she was initially called she was told her child had fallen. When she arrived, her son was unconscious, being treated by paramedics. When he awoke, he told her he was beaten by a large group - as many as 20 to 30 people.
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The Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra team obtained several videos of the event in which at least 10 young people are seen involved in the attack.
Rosario added that while her son is recovering, he is now afraid to go to school. She wants to see justice done.
Another family member of the victims said the boys were also robbed.
“The guys that jumped them said, ‘what are you looking at?’ and they were like, ‘ok, we’re not looking at you’ and one of them yelled ‘let’s jump them, let’s jump them!’”
Investigators say they have identified five young people involved in the attack. Three of them were taken into custody by the Lawrence Police Street Crimes Unit, and a fourth by the Lawrence Police School Resource Officer Unit. The suspects were not identified due to their ages, but investigators said those responsible for the attack are not students at the high school.
One of the victims remains hospitalized Tuesday.
Police do not believe this was random and say there is no threat the the public at this time. The investigation is ongoing and police say more charges are possible.
