Wrestler Hit with Charges Over Viral Sucker-Punch Video After Allegedly Telling Police His Motive
An eighth-grade boy has been charged with assault for allegedly punching another boy after he lost a youth wrestling match in a video that went viral, according to a report.
WBBM-TV in Chicago reported Thursday that Hafid Alicea, 14, was charged with assault under a local ordinance in the Village of Oak Park, Illinois.
The punch came after the boy lost a match 14-2 during a tournament April 8 at Oak Park-River Forest High School.
A video widely shared on social media showed a wrestler moving to shake his opponent’s hand after being defeated.
However, instead of a gesture of sportsmanship, the boy sucker-punched his opponent in the face.
The puncher was identified as Hafid.
WARNING: The following video contains violence and vulgar language that some viewers may find disturbing or offensive.
The winner of the match, 14-year-old Cooper Corder, went down with a broken nose, according to WBBM.
Police were called to the school and spoke with the parents of both teens during an investigation.
WBBM reported Hafid told officers he struck Cooper because he was angry about losing to him.
The suspect’s family assisted in the investigation and vowed to remain cooperative, according to police.
On Thursday, Hafid was charged with assault. A hearing in the case is scheduled for May.
The video of the incident stunned fans of the sport, and many called for the teen to be banned from wrestling.
During an interview with WLS-TV, Cooper said he was shocked by the punch.
“I was on the ground, my nose was bleeding, and I started to realize, like, this really just happened,” he told the Chicago ABC affiliate.
Hafid’s family had not publicly addressed the charges or the video as of Thursday.
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