5 Wheaton College football players facing felony charges for hazing

Five Wheaton College football players are facing charges for a hazing incident that occurred in 2016. According to the college, they have been suspended from practice and games.

The five players are James Cooksey, Kyler Kregel, Noah Spielman, Benjamin Pittway, and Samuel Tebos. Each was charged with aggravated battery, mob action, and unlawful restraint after being accused of hazing a freshman teammate.

In a statement, the victim said he was confronted in his dorm room by the men. They then duct taped his legs and stuffed him in the back of a teammate’s car. The victim said they made offensive comments about Muslims and they also repeatedly tried to insert an object into his rectum. When the victim told them to stop, he was beaten and then left half-naked at a baseball field off campus.

According to an article from WGN, the victim went to the hospital after the incident and the hospital staff contacted authorities. The victim has had two surgeries since the incident and now goes to school in Indiana.

Wheaton College explained in a statement that they begin investigating the issue when it was brought to their attention in 2016. It appears that the suspensions issued Monday were the first disciplinary measures taken since the incident.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the five players involved have five days to turn themselves in or they will be arrested by law enforcement.

Kyler Kregel, a second-team All-American from Grand Rapids, Michigan turned himself into police Tuesday afternoon.

The four other men involved are expected to turn themselves in sometime this week.