CORAL SPRINGS — A student was hospitalized after a violent beating in a parking lot outside of Marjory Stoneman Douglas just as school was getting out on Tuesday, according to police and videos circulating on social media.
Video footage shared on Facebook and X shows a boy thrown to the concrete by multiple other kids before he goes still, possibly unconscious.
Coral Springs Police responded to a “report of a fight” near the parking lot at North Community Park about 3 p.m., the department said on X. Fire Rescue took one student to the hospital with “non life-threatening injuries.”
Police did not say how many people were involved or if all were students at the school.
Phone video recordings show a large group of kids gathered in the parking lot as a multiple boys appear to fight with another boy before one of them picks him up and throws him onto the ground head first.
He then lies there, still, apparently unconscious, as the large group of kids who were watching and filming the altercation begin to scream and scatter. A few stay with the boy to see if he is okay while others yell “Oh my god” and “check if he’s breathing.”
The boy then appears to be conscious, moving his head slightly as a man comes over to help him and tells him not to move.
Coral Springs Fire Department paramedics responded at 3:08 p.m. but had to stage in the area and wait for police to clear the scene, according to Deputy Chief Mike Moser. They made contact with the boy at 3:14 p.m. and transported him to the hospital soon after.
In an email to parents, Principal Michelle Keffort described the beating as “a disturbing incident that took place off-campus.”
“Several students were involved in a physical altercation and one student was injured,” she wrote. “While this park is not a school or district-operated property, the safety of our students is always our priority, and we are working with law enforcement to help identify those involved. Due to the open investigation, I am not able to provide additional details, but I want to assure you this situation is being taken seriously. Please do remind your students to say something if they see something. As always, thank you for your support.”
The violent incident sparked outrage on social media among Broward parents, some of whom have children at Stoneman Douglas. Though the parking lot is not technically school property, many students use the lot or walk through it on their way home, parents said.
“I’m in disbelief right now! This is disgusting!” one woman wrote on Facebook, saying that her daughter walks the same route after school.
Edward Rodriguez, whose two sons attend Stoneman Douglas, said his youngest son showed him the video, which was circulating on Snapchat, Tuesday night. Soon after, he posted a video on Facebook about it.
“I think that was just the last straw,” he told the Sun Sentinel Wednesday. “When you see something like that, that could’ve actually killed the kid, if not permanent brain damage.”
Rodriguez said that he has monitored TikTok and Instagram pages where students share videos of fights while those involved seek “clout.” Both of his children were attacked themselves in middle school, he said, and one parks in that lot.
He wishes more was done to deter fights and discipline students afterwards.
“You’d think that Douglas, the amount of security that they have, you’d think these kind of incidents wouldn’t happen or they’d be less likely,” Rodriguez said.
It remains unclear what led to the altercation. The video footage only shows the moment the boy is thrown to the ground. The Broward School District did not answer questions over email, referring reporters to Keffort’s statement.
“Detectives are conducting a full investigation into this matter,” Coral Springs Police said.
Anyone with information should contact Det. Kaban at jkaban@coralsprings.gov.
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