4 Texas Teens Charged After Allegedly Kidnapping and Torturing Former Classmate with Aluminum Bats, Alcohol and More

YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Four 17-year-old Texas boys have been charged with felony kidnapping after allegedly kidnapping and beating a former classmate in Travis County

• Authorities said the victim was abducted from Del Valle High School, then attacked at gunpoint in a garage.

• The victim said he was told he was targeted because he was talking to the girlfriend of one of the suspects.

Four 17-year-old boys charged in Texas aggravated kidnapping after allegedly kidnapping and beating a former classmate.

The alleged incident began Feb. 19 when the victim left Del Valle High School with three suspects, according to multiple arrest affidavits filed by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. CBS Austin, WDBJ7 And KHOU 11.

The Travis County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

The victim allegedly retreated to a nearby home where the fourth suspect was waiting, according to CBS Austin, WDBJ 7 and KHOU 11.

The four suspects, whom the school district identified as “former” students, then allegedly took the victim to a detached garage, where one suspect held a gun to his head and the others taped his hands, feet and mouth, according to investigators.

The victim told police he was burned, forced to drink alcohol and beaten with aluminum rods, a cane and a belt, according to CBS Austin, WDBJ 7 and KHOU 11.

The victim also told investigators that the suspects repeatedly told him they were going to kill him, according to arrest affidavits released to the media. The victim told authorities the suspects told him he was targeted because one of the suspects was talking to his girlfriends.

She also said the suspects told her they would harm both her and her family if she reported the attack to police, according to CBS Austin and WDBJ 7.

Want to keep up with the latest crime news? Sign up PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter For breaking crime news, ongoing trial news and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The alleged assault was allegedly recorded by one of the suspects, according to affidavits obtained by CBS Austin.

The victim was eventually released and reported the alleged incident to authorities, according to CBS Austin and WDBJ 7.

According to CBS Austin and WDBJ 7, investigators said they observed extensive injuries consistent with the victim’s description of the incident, including bruises on his back, chest and legs, according to affidavits.

Investigators also said several of the suspects admitted to carrying out the attack when questioned by authorities and said they had been planning it for about a week, according to affidavits.

If convicted, the four suspects face between five and 99 years in prison, according to local media KVUE.

In a statement from Del Valle Independent School District (ISD), a representative said “Del Valle ISD is aware of reports of an off-campus incident that resulted in the arrest of former DVISD students.”

“The incident is actively investigated by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. There is no further information in the area at this time,” they continued.

The representative added: “The safety of our students and staff is our top priority and we will continue to monitor this incident. We will always communicate with the school community when there are impacts to the school environment.”

Read the original article People