Seven students could face criminal charges after school officials discovered a "fight club" at asoutheastern Ohio high school, 10TV's Glenn McEntyre reported.
School employees contacted the sheriff's office Oct. 16 and they released details of the clubThursday.
Investigators say the seven male students at Vinton County High School organized fights in theschool bathroom, videotaped them on their cell phones, and then posted them to Web sites likeYouTube.
The boys range in age from 15 to 18.
Five of them have been suspended and two expelled.
The Vinton County Prosecutor said this is unlike any case he has had before.
"I was shocked, frankly. I was shocked. The deputy talked to me last week about hisinvestigation, and it was a little hard to believe that something like this would develop in arural community in Southeastern Ohio," said assistant prosecutor David Winkelmann. "But we have it,and we have to deal with it."
The students could face charges ranging from disorderly conduct to aggravated riot.
Vinton County High School Senior Nicholas Wilson told 10TV News that he knows the boys involvedand said the participants were all friends, and no one was ever seriously hurt, McEntyrereported.
"They were all willing. They weren't beat into the club, they weren't beat out. They were just,'Let's go in the bathroom and duke it out,'" Wilson said."It was just who could beat up who. But itwasn't over anger, it was just over boredom."
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