Transgender Massachusetts teen claims other high school students beat him up at party | Nation

Gloucester police are investigating. They did not respond to a request for comment. Gloucester Public Schools Superintendent Ben Lummis said at a news conference Tuesday that the district takes the allegations seriously.

Rourke said Tkaczyk, who attends vocational school, has long faced harassment because of his transgender status, including being forced to quit the Gloucester High School football team. He called Friday's assault a “terrible beating” and said “everybody is scared and traumatized.”

“They swore at him and chased them into the woods, where police were able to locate him and take him to the hospital,” Rourke said. “His parents were home and they got a call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. Their child was in the hospital.”

Rourke said the family wants those responsible to be held accountable.

“First of all, they would like to know that this will not happen again,” he said. “Criminally, I think they would like to see justice done.”