Four Florida firefighters were arrested and fired for an alleged hazing incident this month that included whipping and waterboarding.
The victim was working at a Marion County Fire Department station in Ocala in central Florida on Nov. 16 when suspects Edward Kenny III, 22, Seth Day, 22, Tate Trauthwein, 19, and Kaylee Bradley, 25, began harassing him, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Mr. Trauthwein tossed the unnamed victim’s boots into the woods as the alleged hazing escalated. Mr. Kenny is accused of grabbing the victim from behind, causing both to fall to the ground. Mr. Kenny and Mr. Day then restrained and held the victim in place while Mr. Trauthwein removed the victim’s belt and pants, the sheriff’s office said.
Mr. Trauthwein and Ms. Bradley then took the victim’s phone, law enforcement said, and demanded his password. The victim refused, at which point Mr. Trauthwein is accused of whipping him with the belt as Mr. Kenny and Mr. Day held him down.
The group wanted the phone because the victim had once gone viral with a dancing video on social media, which the victim said he had deleted, according to an arrest affidavit cited by ABC News. The phone eventually locked up after the suspects were unable to get access.
Mr. Trauthwein is accused of then pulling down the victim’s boxers and once again whipping him with the belt.
After that, the suspects dragged the victim to another area. Mr. Kenny and Mr. Day once again held him down, the sheriff’s office said. Mr. Trauthwein is alleged to have put a towel on the victim’s face before pouring water on it and waterboarding him. The incident ended when a service call came into the station, at which point the suspects stopped.
“What occurred was unacceptable, inexcusable and fundamentally contrary to the core values of our fire department. Let me be absolutely clear, these individuals involved in this incident forfeited their right to wear the uniform the moment they chose an act and manner that endangered, harmed and betrayed a fellow firefighter. Their behavior does not reflect who we are and what we stand for,” Marion County Fire Chief James Banta told reporters.
The victim, Mr. Banta said, was offered leave but chose to keep working.
“He’s diligent in doing his job. He’s been offered the ability to take some time, in which he’s refused. His exact words were, he has a job to do,” Mr. Banta said.
Mr. Day, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Trauthwein face charges of kidnapping, robbery and battery. Ms. Bradley faces charges of robbery and accessory to robbery.
