5 Damascus High School students charged after alleged Halloween locker room sexual assault incident

DAMASCUS, Md. - Montgomery County police have charged five Damascus High School students with rape and attempted rape, officials say.

All of the suspects in this case are described as juvenile males. Three of them were formally charged with two counts of second-degree rape and two counts of attempted second-degree rape.

Police announced Friday night that two additional male students were charged in this case. One of them has been charged with three counts of second-degree rape while the other was charged with one count of attempted second-degree rape.

According to police, investigators determined that there were four male victims in the alleged incident. They are also Damascus students.

All of the students involved are on the junior varsity football team, according to the school.

Police say the alleged sexual assault occurred on Halloween in the boy's locker room after school was dismissed.

Sources have told FOX 5 that the incident involved a broom.

FOX 5 asked Montgomery County police if any adults, coaches or upperclassmen were in the locker room at the time of the alleged incident. They told us that they were looking into it.

"This is still a pretty new investigation and it involves people on both sides of a very tender age, and we are going to let the investigators and the juvenile justice system do its part," said Montgomery County Police Capt. Paul Starks.

The charges arrived a day after the Damascus junior varsity football team forfeited a game due to the allegations.

Multiple current and former Damascus students told FOX 5 that there has been a ritual of light hazing within the football program for years. However, they were also careful to point out that the hazing has never gone this far before.

A copy of an email sent to parents from the school's principal that FOX 5 obtained stated: "The alleged behavior is upsetting and unacceptable and will not be tolerated at Damascus High School."

If you have any information that might help investigators, call the Special Victims Investigations Division at 240-773-5052.