Fourteen high school boys were accused Friday of engaging in sex crimes and threats against two female students, the beginning stages of an investigation into inappropriate acts with minors dating back to 2013, authorities told the Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles police already arrested ten students from Venice High School and are looking for four more, police said. The suspects, who remain unnamed, are between ages 14 and 17. Some are part of the high school's football and basketball teams.
Prosecutors have not charged any of the students, but authorities said they made the arrests to stop the alleged crimes.
"We didn't want to leave the suspects out there to potentially victimize other girls at the school," Los Angeles police Commander Andrew Smith told the newspaper. "The last thing we wanted was to have another victim."
Not many other details have been released in the investigation, which was only launched after a parent reported the alleged abuse on Tuesday.
Police have since recovered a photograph purportedly showing sex acts between two teenagers. The image was shared on social media, according to the LA Times.
Some of boys allegedly pressured girls into having sex and threatened to ruin the girls' reputations, law enforcement sources said. Other accusations include sexual assault and lewd acts with a minor.
Defense attorney Leonard Levine warned against drawing conclusions at this stage in the investigation.
"Often, first reports don't tell the whole story," he told the newspaper.
But parents are questioning how the high school of over 2,000 students became involved in such a scandal.
"Parents are trying to piece it together," Karen Wolfe, whose son is a sophomore at Venice High, told the LA Times. "Kids do stupid things. I certainly want to know what happened. Were the assaults on or off campus? Where were the adults?"
L.A. Unified district officials said the school is doing everything to make sure students feel safe.
"I want you to know that no sexual misconduct of any kind by students or staff will ever be tolerated in L.A. Unified," Superintendent Ramon Cortines said.
"Our crisis team and our psychiatric social workers are on site ready to provide services to every student who is affected by this, indirectly and directly," he said.
