Two SC high school football players claim they were beaten in hazing ritual

Two Allendale-Fairfax High School football players are claiming that they were beaten in a hazing ritual at last week’s football camp.

Shakur Chisolm, a recent transfer to Allendale-Fairfax from Barnwell High School, transferred to the play his senior year at his father’s alma mater, but felt unwelcome as he alleges that he was among a group of students beaten during football camp.

Joined by Chisolm is Dimitrius Drayton, another student-athlete who claims to have been beaten. The two players have obtained lawyers and during press conference at the Allendale County Courthouse on Wednesday, Fatima Zeidan, one of the lawyers representing the teens called the events “disturbing, unlawful and quite frankly heartbreaking.”

The acts allegedly occurred the week of Aug. 3 when more than 50 players were at a preseason football camp in Orangeburg.

“They were deliberate acts to degrade freshmen, new students and transfers,” Zeidan said.

Allegedly 15 to 20 upperclassmen kicked, shoved and punched the new student-athletes and Zeidan said these claims were confirmed by several other unnamed students.

Chisolm, who has been reportedly recruited by Clemson University, contacted his family after the events occurred and was taken to the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg with cuts, scrapes and bruises. An officer with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety later came and interviewed Chisolm.

Though an incident report has yet to be field as of Thursday morning, the two teens and their families planned to file a formal complaint with the department, according to Justin Bamberg, another attorney involved in the case. Bamberg is also one of the attorneys representing Walter Scott, the man who was shot by a North Charleston police officer.

Cliff Chisolm, Shakur’s father also spoke at the press conference pleading parents and other students involved to “please come forward to stop this.”

Zeidan and Bamberg are also asking that a full investigation into the incident be conducted by a third party, such as the S.C. High School League.

Tammie Newman, a SCHSL spokesperson said the organization only gets involved at the request of a school, which has not happened yet.

Bamberg also said that he wants Eddie Ford, the head coach, to resign due to the fact the events “occurred under his watch with overt blessing.”

Chisolm is planning on withdrawing from Allendale-Fairfax and will soon determine a new school to attend and whether to play football his senior year. It is unclear of Drayton’s plans.

This story was originally published August 13, 2015 at 1:42 PM with the headline "Two SC high school football players claim they were beaten in hazing ritual."