Florida firefighters charged over violent hazing attack
Authorities in Marion County, Florida, fired 10 fire-rescue employees and filed criminal charges against four of them after a 19-year-old rookie firefighter reported being stripped, whipped with a belt and waterboarded three times during a Nov. 26 hazing incident at Marion County Fire Rescue’s Station 21. Sheriff Billy Woods said the group chased the rookie over a TikTok video, forcibly took his phone, beat him on his bare skin, and used a towel and water bottle to waterboard him as he pleaded for them to stop, leading to kidnapping, battery and robbery charges against three firefighter/EMTs and robbery-related charges against a paramedic accused of filming the assault.
📌 Key Facts
- Incident occurred Nov. 26 at Marion County Fire Rescue’s Station 21 during the rookie’s second-ever shift, allegedly triggered by coworkers wanting to access his TikTok video.
- Sheriff Billy Woods says coworkers chased the 19-year-old, removed his pants and underwear, struck him with his own belt, dragged him through the parking lot and waterboarded him three times using a towel and water bottle.
- Ten employees were fired, and four were criminally charged: firefighter/EMT Tate Trauthwein, EMT Edward Kenny and firefighter/EMT Seth Day each with kidnapping, battery and robbery, and paramedic Kaylee Bradley with robbery and principal accessory to robbery for allegedly taking the phone and recording the assault.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2020, women made up 9% of all US firefighters and 5% of career firefighters.
U.S. fire department profile report — NFPA Research
In 2023, approximately 79.1% of the US firefighters workforce were White.
Firefighters | Data USA — Data USA
55% of female fire service professionals reported experiencing or knowing someone who experienced inappropriate touching (including sexual assault) by a colleague, compared to 13% of males.
Harassment, Discrimination, and Assault: The Unseen Crisis in Fire Service Professions — Journal of Student Research
During probationary periods, 25.27% of female firefighters reported feeling anxious to return to work most of the time or always due to treatment, compared to 14.65% of males.
Harassment, Discrimination, and Assault: The Unseen Crisis in Fire Service Professions — Journal of Student Research
Social scientists theorize that hazing in groups like fire departments persists because it generates group solidarity, expresses dominance, and selects committed members.
Tradition or Hazing: Where Do We Draw the Line? — Firehouse