Ex-Mountain Ridge High School students under investigation for sexual assault

GLENDALE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - Police are investigating two former Mountain Ridge High School students for an assault during a school wrestling trip in Holbrook.

Officials say the students were on the school's wrestling team last December when they reportedly sexually assaulted a teammate.

According to a police report, the incident happened in a hotel room where the team was staying for the wrestling tournament. The victim stated when it was time to go to sleep, two other teammates sharing the room attacked him, held him down, then sexually assaulted him while one of the boys recorded it. The boy told his grandmother about it and she contacted the Glendale Police, which started this investigation.

"The student's guardian reported the incident to the school administration more than a week after it occurred. The school administration immediately contacted the School Resource Officer, who assisted the guardian in making a police report. The coach was then notified that the incident had occurred. The coach was not aware of the situation until after the guardian reported it to the school administration," stated Monica Allread, Deer Valley Unified School District's Director, Communications & Community Engagement.

"School Administration contacted every parent who had a wrestler in the program.They made parents aware that there was a serious incident not involving their son and that they have taken the appropriate action and disciplinary consequences," added Allread. "Corrective actions have been taken that include: more character education for our student-athletes, intentional room assignments when traveling for athletics/activities, and increased education to student-athletes on all of the systems for reporting any actions that compromise the safety of themselves or others."

The two students were disciplined and are no longer students at MHS, according to the Deer Valley Unified School District.

Holbrook Police have submitted the case to the Navajo County juvenile courts for review.

This is the second high-profile hazing incident involving Arizona high schools this month. Three Hamilton High School students were arrested for sexually assaulting fellow players. One of the students is being charged as an adult.