Seven Percy Julian Middle School students were charged with disorderly conduct, and four were additionally charged with battery and mob action for an attack on a fellow student that occurred early in May.
Oak Park Police Commander LaDon Reynolds said the 13-year-old male victim, who was also a student at Percy Julian, was approached by the seven classmates, all 14-year-old males, outside of the middle school building on the 400 block of S. Ridgeland Ave. at 9 a.m. on May 5. “He was battered by at least four of the students,” Reynolds said of the victim.
The victim suffered minor injuries which did not require treatment.
Reynolds said the suspects were identified during the investigation of the battery and the charges were issued on various dates between one and two weeks later. “In this situation, all of these citations were issued at the police station with the cooperation of the parents,” he said.
Reynolds said he couldn’t speak to the involvement of the school in investigating the incident, only that a school resource officer was “involved in the investigation.” Reynolds said he couldn’t be more specific about the resource officer’s role.