A former Michigan middle school employee is facing charges after allegedly choking a 14-year-old student with a shirt, in an incident caught on surveillance footage.
The alleged “assault” occurred June 4 at Ypsilanti Middle School and involved the teen’s “trusted coach,” according to the family’s attorney, Jordan Vahdat. The employee no longer works at Ypsilanti Community Schools “effective immediately,” the school district announced Monday.
Surveillance footage of the incident shows the employee approaching the student from behind as the teen, identified by his family as Michael Moon, walks down a hallway. The employee then appears to lift a shirt over the teen’s head, who then struggles to get loose before breaking free and walking away, the footage shows. The incident captured in the video lasted less than 20 seconds.
The Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that it has authorized two charges against the defendant in the case: assault with intent to cause great bodily harm by strangulation, as well as assault and battery , an offense. No additional details about the case have been released.
The employee no longer works in the school district and is not permitted to be on school property or attend school events, according to Ypsilanti Community Schools Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross.
“Our district is dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment for all students,” Zachery-Ross said in a statement. “The employee’s actions are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our district.”
“We will continue to implement and enforce policies that protect our students and ensure their well-being,” she continued.
In a letter sent to the school community Monday, Zachery-Ross said the school district “immediately” contacted social services authorities and began cooperating with local law enforcement after learning of the incident.
“We understand the concern that this incident may cause in our community,” the letter said. “Please know that we are committed to continuing to cooperate fully with the relevant authorities.”
Michael’s parents said they reported the incident to police, who then showed them surveillance footage of the incident. His mother, Yolanda Ellis, said Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ she was “horrified” by what she saw and the incident made her “lose faith in that coach, because he was someone Michael looked up to.”
MORE: Transgender student alleges assault after using restroom, family files suit
The incident allegedly happened after the coach – who also served as a hall monitor – ordered Michael to do push-ups because he was messing around in the hallway, but the teen refused because he had injured his hand, his parents told WXYZ.
His parents had filed a complaint about this incident.
“I need this man to pay for what he did to my son, and that means being fired, losing his job and staying in prison,” Michael’s father, Steve Moon, told WXYZ. “I need him to know what he did was wrong.”
Efforts to reach the former employee for comment were unsuccessful.
The Ypsilanti Police Department referred ABC News to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office when contacted for comment.
Michigan middle school coach allegedly choked student with shirt in incident caught on surveillance video originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
