A high school baseball drill turned violent at Coral Reef Park last week. A 16-year-old Miami Palmetto Senior High student was arrested for assaulting a teammate, leaving the victim with a sliced ear, as reported by NBC Miami and WSVN 7News.
The incident, which took place on January 18, escalated following a practice session where the team was disciplined with extra laps for an unrelated infraction involving food. The tension climaxed when the assailant, named by 7News as Jeremy Singer, allegedly threw an airhorn at the 15-year-old victim, identified by his mother as David Diaz, to "scare him." Instead, the object struck Diaz in the head causing a gash requiring six stitches. Singer was arrested at school by police and is charged with battery.
David Diaz's grandmother, Candida Chesman, expressed the boy's trauma to NBC Miami, saying, "He's destroyed. He's very traumatized by all of this, to the point where he doesn’t want to return to the school." In a statement captured by NBC Miami, the suspect’s mother defended her son's character, stating, "He’s a good kid. Never been in a fight. He’s respectful. He’s a good teammate. He usually breaks up fights. Clearly, he made a bad decision."
Nicolette Bory, Diaz's mother, demanded justice in an interview with 7News, stating her desire to ensure the person responsible "paid for it." There is a palpable sense of fear and frustration, as Bory revealed her plans to transfer her son out of the high school due to safety concerns, lamenting that her son was, "kinda just left to fend for himself as he waited for his ride to come home. At that moment, the kids just took advantage of that."
A spokesperson for Miami-Dade Public Schools highlighted that the coaches followed protocol upon learning of the altercation and aided with the investigation. According to reports provided by both NBC Miami and WSVN 7News, Singer is expected to face a judge, and the school's disciplinary actions will hinge upon the outcome of the police investigation.
