UPDATED 3/31, 6:08 p.m. ET: The high school runner who was punched doesn’t want to press charges, TMZ reports.
A spokesperson for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office told the outlet the the offending person also declined to press charges.
See original story below.
A high school track race turned violent this week after one student athlete caught up to another and sucker-punched him in the middle of an event.
The footage began circulating online on Tuesday of the athlete running up behind the runner and punching him in the back of the head while onlookers sounded extremely upset. The race continued, however, as other kids ran around the one who was struck.
According to TMZ, the incident occurred Saturday at the Tohopekaliga Tiger Invitational in Kissimmee, Florida. What apparently led up to the attack was the student in the black uniform standing on the track during the race. Witnesses at the meet told the outlet that he wouldn’t move when racers were taking their lap, and the runner in the red and white uniform bumped him to get out of the way.
After that, the athlete in the black uniform waited for the other runner to take another lap before he ran behind him and punched him in the head. The footage sounds like the onlookers were preparing themselves for something to happen when they saw the kid in the black uniform begin to follow the runner in the red and white.
Witnesses also say the police were called to the scene after the race, but no arrests were made. The runner who was punched reportedly got up eventually and finished the race.
