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by ANDY FANCHER
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Two law firms in the Upstate region of South Carolina are representing the family of a minor whose alleged assault was caught on video and widely circulated over the weekend.
As FITSNews previously reported, multiple football players from D.W. Daniel High School — a public school in Pickens County — were recorded from several angles as they attacked a teammate during an off-campus football retreat held in Laurens County.
The incident took place on July 7, 2025 at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. – where student-athletes were attending a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) summer camp. Presbyterian College, which owns the property, stated it was not affiliated with the event beyond renting its facilities.
In a joint statement released Monday afternoon, the Moorhead Lefevre law firm and the Kyle J. White law firm — both based in Anderson, S.C. — confirmed they were representing the victim’s family, referring to the now-viral incident as a “savage” beating.
“The camp was school-sanctioned, and the individuals who perpetrated the attack were D.W. Daniel High School football players,” the attorneys said in a statement to FITSNews. “Our clients have authorized us to release this information and the disturbing video footage of the incident…”
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In releasing the graphic footage, the attorneys said their hope is that anyone with “information or evidence” helpful to the investigation will come forward and contact their offices.
“Helpful information would include not only evidence pertinent to the camp or the incident on July 7, 2025,” the attorney’s added, “but also information and evidence related to other similar incidents involving D.W. Daniel High School or Presbyterian College.”
This story was originally broken by Malarkey News, an Upstate-based photojournalist who published firsthand testimony from the victim and his mother on Friday — followed by a two-minute, four-second recording of the beating on Sunday.
The initial footage — a separate angle from what attorneys released on Monday — depicted a white student being struck dozens of times in the face, stomach, neck, and back by three black teammates, while fellow football players either laughed, filmed or sat idly and watched the attack.
As the recordings collectively revealed, at least two of the suspects delivered a total of 26 blows to the teen before he fell to his knees, prompting a third individual to “get in” and deliver at least four additional strikes across his head and back.
“Make him feel them shits,” someone exclaimed during the alleged assault.
In the victim’s statement to Malarkey News, the student said eight coaches — including D.W. Daniel High School head football coach Chris Stone (who disabled his X account after footage of the beating went viral) — were inside the building at the time.
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“Multiple teammates were coming in and out while I was trapped in my room,” the minor wrote to Malarkey News, “but nobody thought to get a coach.”
A subsequent police report from Presbyterian College campus police — obtained and provided by community activist Leah Russell — confirmed that the alleged assault was reportedly motivated by claims the victim had used the “N-word” in a group chat.
Despite at least one suspect admitting the fight broke out because of language he accused the victim of using, officers later determined there was “no evidence of the N-word being used by the victim,” but instead alleged that he had posted “derogatory pictures” in the chat.
The report did not specify the content of those images.
“After an initial investigation of the incident,” Presbyterian College announced in a statement Monday, “Campus Police followed protocol and referred the matter to the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and the Eighth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.”
The School District of Pickens County released a similar statement the evening prior, calling the incident “off campus” while saying it is cooperating with law enforcement through the legal process and has launched a broader review of the D.W. Daniel football program.
In an early morning response to FITSNews on Tuesday, a district spokesperson — who has remained responsive throughout this news cycle — emphasized that federal student privacy laws prohibit disclosing any information related to individual student discipline or enrollment status.
However, the spokesperson added:
“What I can affirm is that disciplinary actions — both academic and athletic — have been and are being administered in accordance with district policy, the SDPC Athletic Code of Conduct, and the South Carolina High School League guidelines.”
Later that same morning, S.C. Eighth Circuit solicitor David Stumbo confirmed to FITSNews that his office is aware of the incident that occurred during the FCA team camp earlier this month.
“We are monitoring the situation daily and working closely with the Department of Juvenile Justice and the law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction,” Stumbo said, adding that state law prevents him from releasing specific details involving juveniles.
“We will provide updates on the case when appropriate and as state law allows,” he concluded.
As of this publication, no charges have been announced.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
(Dynal Nolan/FITSNews)
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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14 comments
Stumbo wants to be Attorney General. Now is his time to show SC he is tough on crime and that this kind of savagery will be dealt with.
Need to request SLED to investigate, not PC Public safety. They also need to hold the school administrators and coaches who tried to cover it up accountable. And the BS they were spouting about not be able to respond due to FERPA is a smokescreen. It only applies to post secondary students, ie college students. Just because they were staying on a college campus is irrelevant. Maybe the SCHSL could step up and ban Daniel from participating in football this year to include making any students who try to transfer ineligible from playing.
Three who threw punches, suspended from the team for the season.
Those who are visible watching this happen and doing nothing, a series of game/practice/team meetings suspensions.
Coaches, if found to have covered up or ignored the report, contract termination.
Team, ineligible for post season play.
Way too lenient, they all knew what was transpiring, it’s obvious you never played team sports. Everyone knows everything and all should suffer the consequences including school administrators
Why did it take 21 days for Daniel HS to report it to the authorities? It sounds like they will be getting In School Suspension.
Disgusting vile actions and from a Christian camp? Lying about this kid saying the n-word is getting to be a habit when these type of things happen. It’s getting old. You don’t beat somebody because of a word regardless I don’t care what the word is there’s no excuse for violence ever. Lawsuits I hope there are a lot of them and I hope every single person will be held accountable including the bystanders and the people that walked in and out of the room and never once got him any help.
The white kid was right about them.
He deserved the beating because of slavery. All of you white people do. Revenge is coming and not here yet. Yall ain’t ready. We finna take reparations in every way: physically and financially.
Thats funny, yal are doing a bang up job unaliving each other especially with the help of planned parenthood. Yal have the physical genetics, nobodies arguing that. What you dont have however are the number 1st and foremost nor do you have the mental fortitude to even make it out of the city you come from. Lets say your ppl happened to miraculously do “take over” and become leaders of the free world, what other nation state can you point to as a beacon of this excellence we constantly hear about that doesnt include the complete collapse in infrastructure and ethical, moral, spiritual decay of society?
Actually you owe us sweetheart. White people have fed you, clothed you, educated you, sub-standardized American Education for all of you, pay for your medical and health and welfare built an entire country for you people to live in. You owe us so much that it is insurmountable, you ungrateful, uncultured, uneducated, disrespectful little shit!
wHEN DID 13% OF THE POPULATION CONTROL THE WHOLE COUNTRY ? sIMPLE. lOOK AT THE WAY THESE PEOPLE ATTACK OTHERS. iT’S ALWAYS A GANGBANG, NEVER 1ON1! CINCINNATI IS A SHINING EX. OF HOOD VIOLENCE! iT’S CULTURE AND LACK OF DISCIPLINE IN THE HOME! Frisco ,Texas is a prime ex. of hoodlum behavior. why are they soooo mad? That’s the social issue that needs addressing! I’ve had guns locked on my head and thank God nothing happened, except my concept of luck.
The solicitor of the eight circuit could up the charges. Being that they are 17 year olds, they could possibly charge them as adults. Also, since it is a high school sanction event, the SRO from that high school (DW Daniel) has state wide jurisdiction and could charge them.
It could possibly be looked at as a hate crime as well.
Key aspects of the adult volunteer policy include:
Two-deep rule: No registered adult volunteer should ever be alone with a Young Marine unless they are the youth’s parent. If the Young Marine is female, at least one female adult must be present, and likewise for male Young Marines.
Never unsupervised: Young Marines are never to be left unsupervised.
Training and background checks: All registered adult volunteers must undergo background checks and are expected to follow the program’s Code of Conduct.
The article fails to mention how many Adult Volunteers stood there and watched! But white people needs to stay away from those savages, they will murder you!