Family Of Accused Attacker In Brutal Campus Fight Says He Was Bullied For Months
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A student accused of being responsible for a gruesome fight at Grant Union High School says he's not to blame. Now his family is speaking out, saying he was bullied for months.
Video of the fight has been shared and shocked the Del Paso Heights community. Jovanni Lopez, 15, says he was brutally attacked and knocked unconscious in a campus fight. But now his accused attacker, another student, wants to set the record straight.
The video is hard to watch and shows Lopez getting body-slammed on the concrete. Then, student Luke Dellard, is seen stomping on Lopez and blood goes everywhere.
His mom, Sabrina Dellard, says this doesn't tell the whole story.
"I feel he lied, he didn't tell the truth. The video tells the truth," she said.
Dellard shared a new video with CBS13 of the moments leading up to the fight. Luke Dellard is seen in the video in a burgundy sweatshirt.
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Sabrina Dellard said, "I see the young man walk up to my son, basically calling him out for his shoes, and then he called him the "N" word and that's when they start fighting."
She says Lopez demanded her son hand over his shoes, shouting hateful, racist messages. She says he has been bullied for months
"This is the same boy who has been messing with him," said Dellard.
She says her son has received threatening messages since the video was sent around social media.
"[They said] 'We're coming for you, this is not over yet,'" said Dellard. "No mother wants to hear that, that's my only child."
RELATED: Caught On Camera: Student Body-Slammed, Attacked On Campus At Grant High School
Lopez spoke with CBS13 last week and admitted he got angry and did fight back, but claims he was the one who was attacked.
"What happened, shouldn't happen to anyone else," he said.
The school district released a statement that says by law, they can't reveal disciplinary records but they do not condone the violent behavior that happened on campus.
Dellard says the school needs to intervene and take action to prevent future violence.
"I don't think any kid should be bullied," she said.
CBS13 spoke with Lopez and his mother Jessica on Tuesday. They stand behind the story they shared last week.
Dellard says her son has been suspended for at least five days, but the school has not yet made a decision on final punishment.
