Four students issued juvenile citations for sexual battery at Gilroy High School

UPDATE 10/1/2019 5:20 p.m. Gilroy police said four members of the Gilroy High School varsity football team were issued juvenile citations for sexual battery.

On Thursday, police were told that members of the team were involved in an altercation that involved four students assaulting a fellow student after school.

The assigned School Resource Officer worked with the school to investigate, and as a result four students were issued juvenile citations for sexual battery.

Police said they do not believe the incident was hate motivated. The names of the students will not be released because of their ages.

The Gilroy Unified School District said in a statement that it is investigating the incident and working closely with police.

“The Gilroy Unified School District is committed to ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all students at all of the District’s campuses, and also to protecting all of our students and staff. To that extent, we continue to ensure the privacy rights and confidentiality of all involved parties and we will follow all applicable laws and procedures until the investigation into this incident has been completed. We cannot discuss the specific details of this incident in any capacity without violating minor students’ rights to privacy,” the district said.

The football season is not affected by the incident.

UPDATE 9/30 10:44 p.m.

Gilroy Police confirmed that there is an investigation going on into an alleged assault. The district said the incident under investigation involves the Gilroy High School football team.

As school finished Monday at Gilroy High School, some students were concerned after hearing of investigation of the incident.

While they weren’t comfortable going on camera, they said they’ve heard rumors. But police and the district weren’t getting into those rumors on Monday.

Police did say that they’re investigating an alleged assault involving high schoolers.

“What’s being [alleged] is some kind of assault and we still have to interview everyone that was involved and any possible witnesses to determine whether we do have an assault and what type of assault,” said Sergeant Juan Rocha with Gilroy PD.

But some students from nearby Christopher high school said they overheard details from GHS students.

“He said he was just doing normal like football things–smacking each others butts and one guy was a little aggravated,” said high schooler Eric Nunez.

In a statement, a Gilroy Unified School District spokesperson said that after the administration and staff were notified, “appropriate and immediate actions were taken, including contacting the police department.”

After this incident, high schooler Cristian Palacios said people need be more aware of how their actions affect others.

“Some people take more offense to things than other people so he probably just didn’t like it one bit,” Palacios said.

The district says the football season has not been canceled. The team is scheduled to play Palma High school this Friday in Salinas.

Police are still trying to figure out if a crime did actually occur or if there was a school violation. Police said no one is in custody at this time.

UPDATE 9/30/2019 5:30 p.m. Gilroy police tell KION that officers are investigating a report of an assault at Gilroy High School.

Police would not say what kind, but that it involved high school students. The Gilroy Unified School District said in a statement that it is investigating the alleged incident involving the school’s football team, but that the football season has not been canceled.

PREVIOUS STORY: A spokesperson for the Gilroy Unified School District said in a statement Monday that the district is investigating an alleged incident involving the Gilroy High School football team.

The district said the alleged incident happened last week at the school. Once administration and district office staff were notified, spokesperson Melanie Corona said “appropriate and immediate actions were taken.” She said that includes contacting Gilroy police.

“The Gilroy Unified School District is committed to ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all students at all of the District’s campuses,” Corona said in the statement.

The football season has not been canceled.

KION 2019