Graymont Cooperative Assn

04/30 13:36 CDT Lacrosse hazing included high schoolers staging armed abduction, prosecutor says Lacrosse hazing included high schoolers staging armed abduction, prosecutor says SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) --- Members of a high school lacrosse program in upstate New York are accused of staging an armed abduction of younger players in an stunt that "went way beyond hazing," prosecutors said this week --- warning that the students will be charged with kidnapping if they don't turn themselves into authorities soon. At least 11 people are believed to be involved in events linked to the team at Westhill High School in suburban Syracuse, Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick said Tuesday evening. Those who surrender by Thursday will face only low-level misdemeanor charges, he said. Fitzpatrick said the group was part of a "ruse" that involved inviting younger players to watch a game and then go to McDonald's. But one player was tied up, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car. "I cannot adequately express to this community the level of stupidity and lack of judgment involved in this case," Fitzpatrick said. "This goes way, way beyond hazing." Fitzpatrick said a person driving the younger players on the team pretended to get lost and pulled over in a remote area where other participants in the prank lay in wait in the woods, armed with at least one knife and a weapon that appeared to be a gun. That's when the students launched the fake abduction. There were at least five alleged victims set up in the stunt, but some managed to get away, Fitzpatrick said. The one who didn't escape had his hands tied and some sort of hood placed over his head. He was led to believe he would be abandoned, but was eventually returned home. While the student wasn't hurt physically, "emotionally, that's going to be long term," Fitzpatrick said. "This is not lighting a bag on fire on Halloween and sticking it in your driveway, this is criminal activity," he said, adding that it could have led to a fatal shooting if police had come across the scene and saw "a kid with a hood over his head being abducted at gunpoint." The events were captured on video, and Fitzpatrick said the local sheriffs office identified 11 people --- some of 18 years old --- whom they believe participated either directly or indirectly. Asked if all were members of the boys' lacrosse team, Fitzpatrick said it "appears that way, but I don't know that." He noted reports that the district's superintendent had canceled the rest of the varsity team's season. In a message to those involved, the prosecutor said Tuesday that if they turn themselves in within 48 hours, they will receive an appearance ticket for the class-A misdemeanor of unlawful imprisonment. "In all likelihood, your case will be handled in family court, and if it can't be handled in family court because of your age, you will end this situation without a criminal conviction and criminal record," he said. "This is a one-time, 48-hour offer." Those who don't turn themselves in would face felony charges. In a message to the students' parents, he said: "Don't come crying to me two weeks from now and say, ?You charged my little baby with kidnapping.' Yeah, that's right. Most of my prosecutors can win cases that are on videotape." Messages seeking comment were left for Westhill School District Superintendent Steve Dunham. In a statement provided to Syracuse.com earlier this week, he said: "Our top priority is always the physical safety, mental health and well-being of our students" and that "any behavior that negatively affects any of these aspects for other students will be addressed promptly and appropriately according to our Code of Conduct."