On July 7, a high school senior from D.W. High School in Central, South Carolina, walked into a nightmare at Presbyterian College.
What started as a promising day at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) 7-on-7 football camp turned into a brutal assault that shattered his dreams.
A viral video of the attack, showing a brutal beating by three teammates, has sparked outrage across social media and raised serious questions about accountability at D.W. High School and beyond.
The victim, whose identity is being protected due to his age and the ongoing legal case, shared a chilling account of the incident.
It was the first day of the FCA camp, held at Presbyterian College in Laurens County, South Carolina.
After taking a shower, he stepped out of the bathroom in his dorm room, clad only in a towel, to find three teammates waiting for him.
One hid in the closet, another sat by his bed, and the third was on his roommate’s bed. Their message was clear: “If you try to escape, things are going to be much worse for you.”
They allowed him to get dressed but immediately began pressuring him to confess to something he insists he didn’t do—allegedly using the N-word in a group chat.
He stated firmly-:
“While I was putting on clothes, they pressured me to admit to something I didn’t do. They claimed I had said the N-word in a group chat. I didn’t.”
Via Facebook
As he tried to defend himself, more teammates came in and out of the room, but no one alerted a coach or intervened. For a brief moment, one attacker stepped outside, leaving him alone.
Thinking quickly, the victim propped his phone under a dresser, using his smartwatch to start recording just as the assault began.
That footage is now in the hands of the police, serving as critical evidence in the case.
The Attack Left The Young Man With Serious Injuries, A Severe Concussion, Bruises on His Scalp, and Damage To His Ribcage
The physical pain was bad enough, but the emotional toll was even heavier.
“The attack left me with a serious concussion, along with bruises on my scalp and ribcage. Doctors told me I can no longer play contact sports. My senior season was taken from me — not by injury on the field, but by a brutal, targeted assault based on a lie.”
Via Facebook
For a senior who had poured his heart into football since seventh grade, this meant the end of his dream to play his final high school season.
Despite the trauma, the victim pressed charges, and the case is now a legal matter in Laurens County, where the attackers face charges of assault by mob.
Yet, he revealed a painful truth: the three teammates who attacked him remain on the D.W. High School football team, still playing under head coach Chris Stone.
In the weeks following the attack, the victim and his parents met multiple times with D.W. High School’s principal, Adam Russell, and athletic director, Benjamin Touchberry.
Despite their assurances, the attackers faced no apparent consequences from the school and continue to play football.
The victim feels betrayed, not just by his teammates but by the adults who were supposed to protect him.
He also reflected on his relationship with Coach Stone. “I had nothing but good things to say about him until that day,” he admitted.
While he doesn’t hold Stone responsible for the attack itself, the coach’s response—or lack thereof—left him feeling abandoned. “It seems like he cared more about not losing his star players than about my well-being.”
Despite losing so much, the victim’s strength shines through.
he said in a powerful statement-:
“I’m not posting this for sympathy, I’m posting it because the truth matters, and too many people have been hearing lies. I love those guys, and I wish none of this had happened,I didn’t want anyone’s season to be ruined, but I can’t stay silent when they took everything I’ve worked for. I’m sorry if this affects our relationship going forward, but I hope you can understand where I’m coming from. I wish nothing but the best for everybody.”
Via Facebook
Presbyterian College issued a Statement Addressing The Incident
While the college has distanced itself from the incident, noting that it only provided the facilities, the event has cast a shadow over the FCA camp and raised questions about oversight during such events.
The viral video of the attack has left the Central, South Carolina, community reeling.
Parents, students, and residents are suffering from the reality that a promising young athlete was targeted in such a vicious way.
The fact that the attackers remain on the team has fueled debates about fairness, accountability, and the culture within high school sports programs.
Many are calling for stronger measures to ensure student safety at camps and for schools to take decisive action when incidents like this occur.
As the legal process is going on in Laurens County, the community waits for answers.
