Four students charged with raping male classmates on school bus
The alleged assaults occurred on the journey home from a wrestling tournament.
Four high school students have been accused of holding down and raping two fellow students “with their fingers”.
The boys allegedly attacked their 16-year-old and 12-year old victims on a school bus as they travelled back from a wrestling tournament.
The 12-year-old was reportedly assaulted again after the bus returned to Norman North High School, Oklahoma say investigators.
Three teens have been charged as minors for the crime, with the fourth being charged as an adult.
The three underage defendants have been charged with rape by instrumentation and two counts of rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14.
Connor Shane Shipman, 18, has been charged with three counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation by force and fear and two counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14, reports KOCO.com.
According to court documents, the assailants allegedly inserted their fingers into the boys’ anuses as they were being held down – the 12- year-old more than once including on campus.
Shipman apparently picked up the 12 year old and dragged him to the back of the bus as the assault began.
He also forced the 16-year-old victim’s hand onto his crotch and shouted, “Touch my balls!”, according to CNN.
The coach whose job it was to supervise the students on the bus was immediately fired, while a second coach later resigned.
Norman Public Schools Superintendent Joseph Siano thanked those who came forward to provide information, adding that student safety “is a top priority.”
“While we believe the district’s policies regarding student supervision are strong, we continuously evaluate our procedures to ensure they are followed,” he said in a statement.
