A disturbing incident occurred during the October 4th football game between the Alpena Jets 7/8th grade team and Standish in Roscommon, Michigan.
An Alpena Jets player, identified as #34 Dean-Johnson, faced targeted racial harassment and intentional physical aggression by members of the Standish team.
According to witnesses, two Standish players—numbers 42 and 8—used racial slurs against Dean-Johnson multiple times during the game.
The slurs included phrases such as,
“Watch that N word,” “Get that N word,” and “Take the N word’s knees out.”
Facebook
Following these remarks, six Standish players allegedly launched a coordinated physical attack on Dean-Johnson after he retrieved the kick line ball.
One player reportedly stood over him and forcibly twisted his leg, repeating the racial slur while others piled on.
Members of the Alpena Jets team, along with coaches Ryan Fettes and Matt Hepburn, witnessed the attack firsthand.
The coaches attempted to intervene by alerting the Standish coaches and game referees, but their concerns were reportedly dismissed.
Other players who observed the incident included #97 Fettes, #43 Oliver, #9 Hepburn, #16 Diemond, #17 Ybarra, Spencer Obuchowski, and #99 Kakish.
The victim’s family and supporters have expressed deep concern over the incident.
“We need parents and players who were there to help us bring this to someone bigger,” stated Anna Kirchoff, speaking alongside Alesha Clink.
“We have gone above, and the police are doing nothing. We need to stop the hate. This is going to affect this kid for the rest of his life. Help support this family.”
Facebook
The Alpena Jets organization has publicly voiced their support for Dean-Johnson, emphasizing a commitment to ending racial abuse and protecting their players.
They have called on the wider community to stand against such behavior and ensure young athletes can play safely and respectfully.
