(WWJ) New details are emerging about what happened to end state champion Warren De La Salle's football season.
While it's not entirely clear, WWJ's Charlie Langton has learned from police officials that the private Catholic school's season was canceled over a hazing incident that involved players and broomsticks.
Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer told Langton investigators want to talk with administrators at De La Salle today as police were never called about what happened.
Dwyer did confirm to Langton the allegation centers on a broomstick.
Freep.com reported Friday morning the stick was "used in a sexual manner," adding, "It is not known how exactly the sticks were allegedly used, nor how many players were hazing victims.
The school sent a letter to parents to Friday, saying in part, "Today we are sorry to report that we have recently discovered a series of hazing incidents conducted by several players on our varsity football team, and many players on the team appear to have been aware of such hazing but failed to report it. As a result we have made the difficult but appropriate decision to forfeit Friday's football game which will end the season.
"In addition, consistent with the school's policies, we are reporting the hazing incidents to law enforcement to determine if such hazing involved criminal conduct."
Talk among parents is that the incident involved seniors. Multiple sources say more than a dozen students were involved or at least knew who was.
The letter to parents went on to say, "We will respect the privacy of all involved, but we wanted our parent community to know that swift and appropriate action in accordance with our policies has been taken, with further action to follow after a thorough investigation into the situation is completed.
"Students at times may think because they meant no harm their actions are not problematic. They may assume that because the actions are intended to build a bond between students on the team through a ritual, the behaviors are acceptable. However, it is important that we communicate clearly with our students that disrespectful, demeaning, or nonconsensual behaviors of any kind are not acceptable. Students will be held responsible for their conduct, not on their subjective intent. When allegations of misconduct are brought to our attention, we promptly investigate and provide support to the individuals that were targeted, while following the disciplinary policy regarding others that were involved."
The season ended on the eve of the state high school football playoffs that had the school facing Birmingham Groves High School in a pre-district playoff game, and caused De La Salle Collegiate to forfeit its Round 1 postseason contest.
De La Salle's football team has won three state championships in the last five years, including the last two.
In a separate incident, a 17-year-old De La Salle student was arrested for bringing a knife to class to 'get even' with a pair of students he said were bullying him. This incident is not related to the broomstick situation, police said.
