Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said that a 15-year-old suspect who was caught on video slamming a teenager’s head into the concrete should be tried as an adult.
He added that if the victim dies, the suspect should be tried for murder.
Video of the violent assault near Hazelwood East High School on Friday in Spanish Lake went viral online and sparked outrage over its brutality and viciousness.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was transported to a hospital in critical condition. A suspect was arrested on Saturday, and she is being held by St. Louis County Family Court on assault charges.
“This evil and complete disregard for human life has no place in Missouri, or anywhere. I am praying for the victim,” wrote Bailey in a statement on social media.
“The criminal should be charged and tried as an adult,” he added. “If the victim dies, that offense should rise to a homicide.”
Bailey also called for reform of the Missouri juvenile justice system while being interviewed on a radio show Monday.
“Well this is horrific, and we’re seeing this happen more and more across the state where juveniles are committing violent crimes,” said Bailey.
“I’m going to be following this case closely,” he added. “I think there needs to be some accountability in our juvenile system. People are starting to notice that and it’s causing problems across the State of Missouri.”
The Hazelwood East High School previously released a statement about the viral video.
“It is a tragedy anytime children are hurt,” read the statement. “Bullying and fighting in the community is an issue for which we all need to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children. The Hazelwood School District offers our sincerest condolences to everyone involved and will offer additional emotional support from our support and crisis team to those in need.”
On Monday, threats made against the school led to many students leaving early, but the school made it clear that they were not dismissed early. Parents of students at the school are saying that bullying and lack of security at the school have been a growing problem.
One student said the victim who was brutalized had been told to “fight back” after being bullied in the weeks before the horrendous incident.
Here’s more about the brutal attack:
Viral Hazelwood East High School fight has parents asking how to de-escalate teen violencewww.youtube.com
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