JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two Bishop John J. Snyder High School baseball players were arrested Monday in connection with threats made toward their African American teammate, according to reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The two Bishop Snyder students arrested, who News4JAX is not naming because of their age, are each facing one count of making written threats to kill or do bodily injury — a second-degree felony.
News4JAX reported Monday that alleged racist comments had surfaced, along with threats on social media, against the only African American student on Bishop Snyder’s baseball team.
In a group chat called “Snyder baseball,” there were allegedly multiple comments made, including “hate them even more than black people,” “[explicit] Asians,” and “when’s white history month?”
There was a discussion in the group about using the N-word and another discussion about threatening to break the African American baseball player’s elbow.
There was also a photo of a teen holding what appears to be a rifle.
The African American baseball player’s family posted images of the chat on social media.
“My family has been targeted and it’s one of the most challenging things we’re facing right now,” a post reads. “The threats made on my son and our family have been overwhelming to say the least. I pray everyone remains safe and Bishop Snyder does the right thing, because racism is not a joke. If we don’t stand for something we will fall for anything!”
The Sheriff’s Office spoke with two other students who were aware of the Snapchat threats, according to the arrest reports obtained Tuesday by News4JAX. They each told police they were unaware of any plan by the two suspects to harm the African American student on Bishop Snyder’s baseball team, the reports show.
According to the reports, his parents told JSO that their son had “recurring issues with the listed suspects, as well a other players on the team harassing the victim about being the only black player on the team” and that they had tried to resolve the issue with the baseball coach and principal but nothing happened.
Corker Wimberly’s younger son is the target of these text threats. Wimberly told News4JAX by phone that the two arrests bring some comfort to his family.
“I empathize with the parents. Kids do crazy things, but for every action, there is a reaction. For me, I have to protect my family,” Wimberly said. “So we were definitely a little at ease that you can feel a little safe tonight because threats are not taken lightly.”
Moving forward, Wimberly hopes the school reminds all students that racism and threats are unacceptable.
“I think that the school definitely has to send out a mass email. They definitely have to have an assembly with these kids and let them know that inappropriate behavior, inappropriate racism is not tolerated at all, it’s like zero tolerance for racism in the school,” Wimberly said.
Local activist Ben Frazier, of the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, issued the following statement after News4JAX first reported on the arrests:
“We are pleased that JSO conducted a swift and thorough investigation of this disgusting incident.
“The positive collaboration between JSO and the public to resolve this community conflict should serve as a good model for use in other problem areas of policing.
“Hostile social media posts like this should never be accepted or tolerated.”
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