4 High School Students Suspended After Allegedly Attacking Basketball Coach

A basketball goes through a hoop in a 2017 file photo. (Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images)

Four New Jersey high school basketball players were suspended after being accused of attacking their coach, according to multiple reports.

The incident happened around 9 p.m. on Feb. 4 outside of Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark, reported CNN, as members of the school’s Junior Varsity basketball team were returning from a game in Livingston. After getting off the bus, four basketball players allegedly began assaulting their coach.

Sources told ABC 7 that the players went after the coach after he tried to stop them from bullying another student. A video of the attack shows a group of teens chasing a man while a teen behind the camera can be heard saying “they’re about to jump the basketball coach!” The students are then seen punching and kicking the man as he lay on the ground.

After the police arrived on scene, the coach declined medical assistance.

“Our detectives are investigating this incident to identify and to appropriately charge those individuals involved. Because high school students are typically juveniles, the names of the suspects will not be released. But those found to have participated in this senseless act of violence will face criminal charges,” said Newark Department of Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

The students have not been charged, and because they are minors, their identities have not been released. Four students involved in the attack have been suspended, reported CNN.

Following the incident, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka released a statement saying the students actions will “not be tolerated.”

“I spoke to the superintendent, principal, coaches and team. The actions of these students will not be tolerated, and the do not represent the majority of the school. The school and team have many great kids, who go on to college and do great things, and we’re proud of them. We support the superintendent and principal and will do whatever we can to make the rest of the year successful,” Baraka said.

The video of the attack was shared widely on social media, and majority of the student body expressed disappointment when seeing incidents like this, according to ABC 7 .

“It’s kind of embarrassing. We should be getting seen for better things like our community, our teams,” one student told the outlet.

An investigation is currently underway.