The Florida high school runner who was knocked down with a heavy punch during a race last week is considering taking legal action, which is quite the opposite of what was formerly reported.
A crazy video went viral on social media last week which shows an athlete attacking a runner at a high school meet in Florida. According to TMZ’s report, the incident took place at the Tohopekaliga Tiger Invitational in Kissimmee.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office initially announced that the victim did not want to press charges. The office also said the assailant who punched the runner after being pushed, also did not want to file a complaint.
On the contrary, the victim’s lawyer, Nathan Carter, said his client wants to press charges and explore civil remedies against all those responsible. Carter said the young runner suffered a concussion and therefore may also file a lawsuit.
“The family of the victim did want to press charges for this vicious attack and assault caught on video and witnessed by hundreds of people,” Carter said. “The OCSD deputy told the family that if [my client] pressed charges then he would also be arrested for battery. Only because of this threat did the family choose not to press charges.”
In addition, Carter is blaming the organizers of the event for failing to do their jobs. “The incident could have been prevented if the organizers of the track meet had done their jobs,” he said.
According to people who witnessed the violent incident, the assailant was not involved in the race but was reportedly standing in the track. The runner told him to move out of the track but he refused and intentionally tackled the runner during the next lap. The runner reportedly pushed him away. That was when the athlete chased the runner and knocked him down with a heavy punch to the head.
