More parents speaking out about Staten Island football hazing scandal

SEAVIEW (WABC) -- More parents are speaking out after hazing allegations have surfaced involving a Staten Island high school's football teams.

"To see these boys heartbroken, the look in their faces, its heart wrenching as a parent," said Rina Cuzzocrea, the parent of a football player.

There was a ground swell of emotions as parents and member of the varsity and JV football teams came to Susan Wagner High School.

They're looking for information about the alleged hazing scandal that has, until further notice, grounded all football games and practices.

"It's sad to see this go down because you don't know the facts, you don't know anything that really happened, we don't even know," said Jean Chiusano, a parent.

This all came to light after two buses loads of football players and coaches returned from a seven-day training camp last week.

At least two JV players have gone on record with disturbing details about how older players allegedly shot the younger ones with BB guns, hit them with socks filled with powder, drew phallic symbols on their bodies while they slept, and one alleged victim says day and night he was beaten with a broomstick.

One parent didn't want to show his face, but for the first time Tuesday told Eyewitness News what his 16-year-old son said went down at camp.

"They're taking some of the kids who are sleeping and putting their rear ends in their faces," the father said.

As word got out the DOE was looking into the claims, there was a flood of text messages from students who were at the camp. One post read: "Don't let this get out."

"Did some of this happen or did none of this happen?" Eyewitness News asked.

"Some of it happened; the only part that happened was kids getting drawn on," said Michael Israel, a JV football player who was at the camp. "They should handle the kids who did it, kick them off, suspend them, whatever. The whole team should not suffer."

These parents agree, feel everyone is being punished for what a small number of players may or may not have done.

"If the allegations are true, we're looking to handle it and we're looking for justice for the innocent kids who had nothing to do with it," said Joe Angelone, the parent of a football player.