The victim at Ursuline High School was subjected to multiple instances of harassment, not just on a single day, but over the course of a nine-day football team trip in June 2025.
On the first night, two teammates came to his hotel room for what they called an “initiation.”
He tried to hide in a closet, but they pulled him out, grabbed him by the throat, threw him on the bed, stripped off his clothes, and sexually assaulted him while others filmed.
On the fourth night, other players came into his room while he hid in the bathroom.
Later that night, he was lured to another player’s room, where several teammates again stripped and assaulted him.
Later, the videos and photos were shared on Snapchat and spread among students and the wider community.
Assistant Coach Allegedly Dismissed The Family’s Report, Calling the Abuse “Just Boys Being Boys“
The federal civil rights lawsuit was filed on behalf of the victim student and his family.
Attorney Subodh Chandra, who is representing the victim’s family, said:
Once the coaches become aware of information that this kind of misbehavior and this kind of hazing and sexual assault and assaults are going on, they should have put a stop to it immediately…
The lawsuit names the school, the principal, the assistant principal, the head coach, two assistant coaches, the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, 11 players, and the parents of the players.
They are accused of breaking federal and state laws, including sexual assault, hazing, child pornography, and witness intimidation.
The lawsuit says coaches knew about the abuse but did nothing to stop it.
Additionally, it is reported that when the family brought the incident to McGlynn on June 16, he dismissed it, saying:
boys being boys.
On the other hand, the victim boy’s family said that the abuse didn’t end with the assaults on their son.
They alleged that some players involved later tried to scare the victim’s sister into staying quiet about what happened.
The players allegedly showed up at her workplace and other places they knew she would be, making her feel unsafe.
The family says the intimidation became so serious that she had to transfer to a different school to get away from the harassment.
Moreover, anyone who ignored, facilitated, or tried to cover up the hazing and assaults could face serious legal, professional, and financial consequences.
Police and prosecutors are still looking into possible criminal charges.
Such acts are deeply harmful and unacceptable. These are not pranks or boys being boys; this is a serious crime.
The victim in this case deserves full justice, and everyone involved must face legal consequences for their action.
