Current:Home > InvestA transgender teen in Massachusetts says other high schoolers beat him at a party -MoneyBase
A transgender teen in Massachusetts says other high schoolers beat him at a party
View
Date:2025-04-16 16:11:22
GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) — A transgender teenager from Massachusetts is recovering after allegedly being beaten by other high schoolers at a party.
Sixteen-year-old Jayden Tkaczyk was at an outdoor party Friday night in Gloucester when nearly a half-dozen teenagers attacked him and called him homophobic slurs, Tkaczyk’s attorney, Craig Rourke, said. They then chased Tkaczyk into the woods, where police found him.
Gloucester police are investigating. They did not respond to a request for comment. Gloucester Public Schools Superintendent Ben Lummis, at a press conference Tuesday, said the district is taking the allegations seriously.
Rourke says Tkaczyk, who goes to a vocational school, has long been bullied because he is transgender, including being forced off the Gloucester High School football team. He called Friday’s attack a “horrible beating” and said that “everybody is scared, and traumatized.”
“They called him names and chased them into the woods, where, you know, the police were able to locate him and get him to the hospital,” Rourke said. “His parents were home, and they got a call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. Their child was in the hospital.”
Rourke said the family wants those responsible held accountable.
“To start, they’d like to know that this isn’t going to happen again,” he said. “As far as criminally, I think they would like to see justice there.”
veryGood! (462)
Related
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Greening of Building Sector on Track to Deliver Trillions in Savings by 2030
- A smart move on tax day: Sign up for health insurance using your state's tax forms
- Microsoft blames Outlook and cloud outages on cyberattack
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- What's next for the abortion pill mifepristone?
- Can Planting a Trillion Trees Stop Climate Change? Scientists Say it’s a Lot More Complicated
- Sydney Sweeney Makes Euphoric Appearance With Fiancé Jonathan Davino in Cannes
- New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
- Fear of pregnancy: One teen's story in post-Roe America
Ranking
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- Dying Orchards, Missing Fish as Climate Change Fueled Europe’s Record Heat
- This Week in Clean Economy: China Is Leading the Race for Clean Energy Jobs
- Robert De Niro and Girlfriend Tiffany Chen Step Out at Cannes Film Festival After Welcoming Baby
- The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
- There's a second outbreak of Marburg virus in Africa. Climate change could be a factor
- Weaponizing the American flag as a tool of hate
- Climate Crisis Town Hall Tested Candidates’ Boldness and Credibility
Recommendation
Average rate on 30
Keystone XL: Low Oil Prices, Tar Sands Pullout Could Kill Pipeline Plan
Sen. Amy Klobuchar calls Texas judge's abortion pill ruling 'shocking'
There's a second outbreak of Marburg virus in Africa. Climate change could be a factor
Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
Q&A: Black scientist Antentor Hinton Jr. talks role of Juneteenth in STEM, need for diversity in field
24-Hour Flash Deal: Save $225 on the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright Vacuum
Get $148 J.Crew Jeans for $19, a $118 Dress for $28 and More Mind-Blowing Deals