AKRON, Ohio — The family of a 14-year-old boy – who drowned over the summer – is demanding action after, two football teams got into a post-game fight after players allegedly mocked the teen’s death.
According to Akron Police, the fight happened outside the locker rooms between both teams following Friday night’s game. Officers broke up the fight using pepper spray. Police tell News 5 the players and students were taunting and insulting each other leading up to the fight.
This comes nearly two months after 14-year-old son Toshaye Pope drowned in Lake Melanie.
Pope was a student enrolled at Akron Early College High School, but they don't have a football team, making him eligible to practice with and play for Ellet High. While at an outing with the team, the teen drowned in Melanie Lake on July 21, igniting an investigation into what exactly happened that day.
RELATED: Parents raise questions about football outing after Akron teen drowns in lake
“There's going to be a lawsuit; it's just, we're trying to really hammer down what the allegations are going to be,” said attorney Allen Tittle of Tittle & Perlmuter.
RELATED: Family of Akron high school football player who drowned retains law firm to investigate teen's death
Attorney Allen Tittle is representing Pope’s family, who he says are still healing, and seeing football season only adds to their pain.
“Look, football seasons, tough for them. You know, their son was going to be a football player,” said Tittle.
They heard the news of a fight breaking out between Ellet high football player and Firestone High players Friday night.
“Then this happens this past weekend, where these kids are pretending to swim on a field when there's a big play, they're pretending to swim pregame,” said Tittle.
Tittle says video of that game shows some Firestone athletes mocking Pope's death, by "swimming on the field."
“It's ridiculous, it's reopening the wounds that the family has,” Tittle said.
Akron Public Schools released this statement regarding the fighting that broke out Friday:
Akron Public Schools strongly condemns the abhorrent and unacceptable behavior. The district will pursue disciplinary actions against any individuals who are found to have participated in this large altercation. We continue working to bring communities together in upholding safe and respectful environments for students and families.
But the school district did not comment on the alleged mocking that precipitated the fight. Tittle reiterated that more must be done.
“A student's death shouldn't be made a mockery, and someone needs to take to take charge and make sure this stops," and that these actions are condemned, Tittle said.
Tittle says they should be filing their lawsuit in the next 45 days in regard to Pope’s drowning.
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