Practically a dozen firefighters and paramedics had been fired, and 4 are dealing with felony prices, after a 19-year-old rookie Florida firefighter was allegedly whipped and waterboarded in a violent hazing incident.
The teenager firefighter informed authorities he was hazed Nov. 26 throughout his second-ever shift at Marion County Hearth Rescue’s Hearth Station 21, nicknamed the “friendship” station, after colleagues tried to drive him to unlock his cellphone to look at a viral video he posted on TikTok.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods mentioned the incident started when 4 metropolis workers on the firehouse needed entry to a TikTok video from the rookie and “chased him down” within the car parking zone.
“As soon as they caught him, they eliminated his pants, took his belt, then started to strike him on the bottom with that belt,” Woods mentioned throughout a information convention. “The cellphone was taken … Whereas they had been attempting to get into the cellphone, they took it even slightly bit additional. They eliminated his underwear, after which once more, started to strike him on his bottom, on his naked pores and skin.”
Woods mentioned the rookie was dragged by way of the car parking zone, at which level somebody retrieved a water bottle and a towel, and waterboarded him 3 times.
“The sufferer fought and refused to cooperate and made it abundantly clear to every of them that this was exterior what he thought, possibly, may very well be perceived as one thing minor, and every of them ought to have recognized it,” Woods mentioned. “Sadly, they took it to this degree.”
Investigative interviews, transcripts and paperwork obtained by FOX 35 Orlando element the alleged assault.
“One got here behind me and like held my arms after which dragged me,” the 19-year-old firefighter informed investigators. “[Tate Trauthwein] takes my belt off my pants, and he begins whipping me in my entrance after which, after that, [Edward Kenny] type of rolls over to the facet slightly bit and [Seth Day] grabs … type of my leg.”
“I used to be like, ‘ow, ow.’ I’m like, ‘this actually hurts.’ I used to be like, ‘cease! cease!’” the rookie informed investigators. “I couldn’t breathe. … The one factor I mentioned [after the alleged attack] was that I’m by no means working right here once more after which, after that, I left.”
Ten workers had been fired in whole, together with senior management on the station, and 4 workers had been criminally charged on Nov. 26, in response to data.
The 19-year-old firefighter is again at work persevering with to serve the neighborhood, in response to the fireplace division.
Tate Trauthwein, a 19-year-old firefighter/EMT who has been with the division for a couple of yr, is charged with kidnapping, battery and theft; Edward Kenny, a 22-year-old EMT who has been with the division for about three years, is charged with kidnapping, battery and theft; Seth Day, a 22-year-old firefighter/EMT who has been with the division for about two years, is charged with kidnapping, battery and theft; and Kaylee Bradley, a 25-year-old paramedic who has been with the division for about two years, is charged with theft and principal accent to theft.
Bradley, who’s accused of taking the rookie’s cellphone and videotaping the assault, acknowledged roughhousing was widespread on the station, however informed investigators a number of the workers “went means too far,” noting “that’s previous what they usually do as a joke,” in response to a video interview recorded by authorities.
Marion County Hearth Chief James Banta mentioned in the course of the information convention the incident was a “disturbing violation of every thing that this career stands for.”
“What occurred was unacceptable, inexcusable and essentially opposite to the core values of our fireplace division,” Banta mentioned. “Let me be completely clear, these people concerned on this incident forfeited their proper to put on the uniform the second they selected an act and method that endangered, harmed and betrayed a fellow firefighter. Their conduct doesn’t replicate who we’re and what we stand for in our neighborhood.”
Banta added that, exterior the continued felony case, the fireplace division is reviewing the investigation accomplished by the Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace, which “might embody the actions or inactions of others who might have been conscious and or current throughout this incident.”
If extra coverage violations are recognized, Banta mentioned additional administrative actions will observe.
Investigations by the fireplace division and sheriff’s workplace stay ongoing.
