Four men have been arrested after disturbing video emerged showing a disabled teenager allegedly being attacked in a Florida forest.
Eighteen-year-old Cody Stripling and 19-year-old Sebastian Bowers were arrested after the alleged assault at a Halloween bonfire in Tiger Bay Forest. Both face multiple charges, including aggravated battery.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office in Florida announced Wednesday that Logan Levesque and Casey Knight, both 18, had also been arrested in connection with the attack. They face several serious charges as well.
Authorities said the assault continued for between 30 and 40 minutes, leaving the disabled 19-year-old with severe injuries. Investigators said the victim “basically has one arm.”
Sheriff Mike Chitwood said: “They’re all looking at felonies, and they’re looking at something that’s going to follow them for the rest of their lives.”
Police-released footage showed several teenagers surrounding a man seated on the tailgate of a truck.
During the disturbing attack, the group repeatedly directed a racial slur at the victim. The sheriff’s office told Our News Outlet that the victim is white.
“It makes you want to throw up. You’re beating an individual that basically has one arm… and you think it’s cool,” Chitwood said.
Police released distressing footage of the alleged attack
Cody Stripling, 18, was among those accused of attacking the victim
Sebastian Bowers, 19, was also charged in connection with the assault
The video shows one man verbally harassing the victim for several seconds before striking him in the face. Two others then joined the assault.
The attackers knocked the man to the ground and repeatedly beat him as a woman could be heard pleading with them to stop.
The victim appeared to be covered in blood during the assault.
As the men celebrated, the person recording the incident pushed the phone close to the victim’s face and repeatedly told him to smile.
The victim could be heard asking: “What did I do to y’all?”
The men were also heard spitting on him before continuing the physical attack.
The sheriff’s office later released footage showing the arrests of Stripling and Bowers.
Authorities said the alleged assault lasted between 30 and 40 minutes
Logan Levesque, 18, was arrested Wednesday
Casey Knight, 18, was arrested the same day as Levesque
Bowers was heard asking an officer whether he and Stripling would be held in the same jail. The officer replied that they could be separated.
All four men have been charged with aggravated abuse of a disabled person, battery by strangulation and aggravated battery.
After the arrests, Logan’s father, Tony Levesque, said he had offered to help investigators build the case against his son.
In an Instagram post, he wrote: “We have been estranged for nearly two years because of his life choices, his actions, and my fear that something like this could one day become a reality.
“This is not the man I raised him to be, nor does this behavior reflect the morals, values or respect for human life I worked to instill in him.”
Levesque said he would not provide his son with financial or legal assistance.
He also apologized to the victim and his family, writing: “I am truly sorry beyond what words can express. No one deserves to experience such senseless violence. While physical wounds may heal, the emotional scars can last a lifetime.”
“I know my apology cannot undo what happened, but my heart goes out to you and your family. I sincerely hope you receive the healing, support and justice you deserve.”
