THE BRONX — Three members of the boys' track team at The Bronx High School of Science were arrested last week for hazing and forcibly touching one of their teammates, authorities said.
The students, ages 16 and 17, whose names DNAinfo is withholding, are accused of inappropriately touching a freshman boy several times over the past three months at the elite West 205th Street high school, according to the Bronx District Attorney's office.
In a Feb. 20 incident, two of the students cornered the victim at the school and threatened him, saying, "You're going to get a rape," according to the criminal complaint.
They then allegedly held the boy down and sodomized him through his clothing with a finger. When the victim was able to get away, they chased him down, touched him again, and then hit his crotch with a water bottle, the complaint stated.
The three students were arrested Feb. 27 and charged with forcible touching, assault, hazing and harassment, according to the DA's office. They pleaded not guilty at their arraignment the following day and were released without bail.
In another incident on the afternoon of Feb. 25, two of the students again held the boy down and sodomized him with their fingers through his clothing, the complaint states.
"I want to cuddle," one of the students said, according to the complaint. "Don't resist. We won't hurt you."
During one incident in January, one of the students threatened to rape the victim if the victim would not touch the student's genitals. When the victim refused, the student pressed his crotch against the victim through the victim's clothes, the criminal complaint said.
The three students also touched the victim's genitals through his clothing "on numerous occasions," according to the criminal complaint.
The track team suspended all events after the three teammates were arrested, the Daily News reported.
"An allegation was brought to the attention of the school last Wednesday and three students were arrested," Department of Education officials said in a statement. "The matter is under investigation."
Bronx prosecutors said at least one other student was involved in the alleged assaults but has not been arrested.
The three students who were arrested last week will next appear in court March 8, prosecutors said.
