A 13-year-old boy was punched and kicked repeatedly in a beating at Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School in Tempe, and his family says the attack, captured on campus video and shared online, left him with head and neck injuries. The victim’s mother and the family’s attorney say campus security did not intervene and that school officials were slow to notify parents. Tempe police have referred the matter to juvenile court, while the district maintains it followed its student code of conduct.
According to a Tempe police report, what started as a dispute over a dodgeball game escalated when another 13-year-old came up from behind and struck the victim, knocking him to the ground. The report says the boy was punched roughly 10 times, then kicked in the face and neck while he was on the ground, and that officers referred charges to Maricopa County Juvenile Court, as reported by ABC15.
School Response and Safety Policies
The Tempe Elementary School District says student safety is a top priority and notes that school safety officers and school resource officers are assigned to Mosley and other middle school campuses. District materials spell out expectations that staff follow the student code of conduct and involve law enforcement when appropriate, according to the Tempe Elementary School District.
In this case, district officials say they handled the situation in line with those policies, even as the family questions whether enough was done in the moment to protect the student and to alert his parents.
Family Calls for Accountability
The boy’s mother told reporters she first realized something was wrong when she received a text message from her son. Their attorney, Nolan Tyler, says parents were not contacted by the school until about 30 minutes after the assault and that 911 was not called despite visible injuries. Tyler says the family is gathering school records and other documents ahead of a possible notice of claim and argued, “This was a violent attack that the school took no steps to prevent,” as reported by ABC15.
The family says that until they finish reviewing those records and get more updates on the boy’s medical condition, they will keep legal options on the table.
Where the Case Goes From Here
Tempe police have referred the case to the county juvenile department, which handles youth delinquency hearings and diversion programs in Maricopa County, according to the Maricopa County Juvenile Court. The attack occurred at Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School, located at 1025 S. Beck Avenue in Tempe, per Mosley Middle School, and the family says it will decide whether to file a formal notice of claim after reviewing school records and the student’s medical updates.
