HAMPTON, Ga. — Parents are deeply disturbed after a video that showed the beating of a 16-year-old boy was airdropped to Hampton High School students on Wednesday.
The now-deleted video shows multiple people kicking the teen in the face, beating him until he bleeds and urinates on himself, calling him racial slurs, and leaving him in a closet.
Hampton Police are looking for William Kyle Latham, 18, also known as "KY." There's a warrant out for his arrest. He's facing kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. DeKalb County Police are also assisting in the investigation.
Hampton Police released a statement late Saturday saying the 16-year-old was kidnapped Tuesday from the Bedrock community in Henry County. He was driven to DeKalb County where he was beaten and robbed, police said. They called it an isolated incident.
Since the video includes a minor and a ton of profanity, we have chosen to blur the video due to its content.
In it, the teen is instructed to take off everything but his underwear. A voice accuses him of snitching about a shooting. The beating ensues. Latham puts a gun in the teen's mouth and threatens to shoot him in his privates. He's then pistol-whipped. The teen appears to urinate on himself. He's given demands to repeat whatever the suspect, who appears to be Latham, says. He's lastly told to stay in the closet while the thieves steal his clothes and leave him there alive.
Ashlee Keyton has a niece and nephew at Hampton High School. Parents believe the 16-year-old is a student there. No agency would confirm this.
"It really kind of made me teary-eyed," Keyton said. "It just really shook me up. And it just it made me so upset to see this type of thing going on."
Keyton said he and thousands of others watched the video in awe.
"It makes you want to do something about this," Keyton said.
Keyton sees the people beating the 16-year-old boy as bullies.
"They're going to put a fear in young kids," he said.
His niece and nephew's mother were uncomfortable speaking on camera.
"Now we can't even stand up to bullies because of the level that the...I don't remember bullies being this dangerous back then," Keyton said.
A spokesperson for Henry County Schools said the following message was sent to parents:
"This message is to let you know that we are currently working with local law enforcement to investigate an inappropriate airdropped message that surfaced at our school. As a reminder, distribution of inappropriate materials is never permitted and will be dealt with accordingly. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to keep everyone safe and informed. "...We are currently working with local law enforcement to investigate an inappropriate airdropped message that surfaced at our school. As a reminder, distribution of inappropriate materials is never permitted and will be dealt with accordingly."
The spokesperson added:
"Law enforcement agencies in the City of Hampton and DeKalb County are actively investigating an off-campus physical altercation unrelated to school operations that is portrayed in the video."
A spokesperson for DeKalb Police released this statement:
"We are investigating. However, due to the sensitivity of the subject and the ongoing investigation, we are unable to release anything at this time."
"What are they implementing to going forward to it? I'm not putting the blame on them at all, but just asking what can we implement to keep things like this from happening, to make us feel safe, to make my nieces and nephews safe so that we can make sure that their lives are protected?" Keyton asked.
Several parents told 11Alive's Tresia Bowles off camera they were afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation. Some said that they hadn't felt the school was safe for a while and were disappointed in the administration.
Keyton said while he has sympathy for the 16-year-old, he wonders what the bullies could have gone through to make them do something like this. He urges everyone to pray for them.
"And I told them, I said through Instagram, I said, 'Repent, bro. God is real,'" Keyton said. "'He loves you. Turn to him, please, before you ruin your life. You still have time. God bless you.' I didn't get a response."
Parents tell 11Alive they are planning a peaceful protest and walkouts in response.