A Florida high school student was arrested after he attacked a teacher’s aide on Tuesday, leaving her unconscious.
The incident occurred after the aide confiscated the student’s Nintendo Switch game console, prompting the 6-foot-6-inch, 270-pound teen to attack.
The beating took place at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast, according to a Facebook post from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the post, the 17-year-old student was arrested and taken to jail. He was then handed over to the Department of Juvenile Justice and charged with felony aggravated battery with bodily harm.
As seen in surveillance video of the incident, the student charged the teacher in a hallway, sending her flying and knocking her unconscious.
The assailant proceeded to kick and punch the defenseless victim before a number of individuals pulled him away.
WARNING: Some viewers will find the following video disturbing.
Teacher confiscates student’s Nintendo Switch during class.
Student then attacks her, kicking and punching her, leaving her unconscious. pic.twitter.com/SeDa7vp6k5
— Peter Lloyd (@Suffragent_) February 24, 2023
The teacher was taken to a hospital for treatment. The extent of her injuries is unknown, according to WOFL-TV.
“The actions of this student are absolutely horrendous and completely uncalled for,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said.
“We hope the victim will be able to recover, both mentally and physically, from this incident. Thankfully, students and staff members came to the victim’s aid before the [school resource deputies] could arrive. Our schools should be a safe place — for both employees and students.”
Parents also weighed in on the disturbing violence.
“It’s just something we see all too often these days,” one mother said.
According to WOFL, police also learned that the student threatened the teacher, warning that he would “beat her up every time she takes away his game” and that “when he comes back he is going to kill her.”
Flagler Schools revealed that the victim has been an employee of the district since 2004 and has been a paraprofessional since 2021, a job that has her working with students with learning disabilities.
According to WESH-TV, Staly called the situation “shocking” and pointed out that it could have been far worse.
“This could have been a homicide,” he said. “When you push people down like that, they hit their head, you never know the outcome.”
Threatening to kill her should be enuf to keep him out of the school forever, + hopefully locked up.