A Texas student was allegedly beaten with bats and held at gunpoint, but the investigation details a bizarre motive for the kidnapping

Four 17-year-old boys in Texas are facing serious charges of aggravated kidnapping after they allegedly abducted and brutally beat a former classmate. This whole situation is pretty wild, especially when you hear the alleged motive behind it all. The incident reportedly kicked off on February 19 when the victim left Del Valle High School with three of the suspects.

According to People, arrest affidavits filed by the Travis County District Court Clerk’s Office state that the victim was lured to a nearby home where a fourth suspect was waiting. The four teenagers, identified by the school district as former students, allegedly took him into a detached garage. One suspect reportedly held a gun to his head while the others duct-taped his hands, feet, and mouth.

The victim told police a truly harrowing story. He claimed he was burned, forced to drink alcohol, and beaten with aluminum bats, a walking cane, and even a belt. He also told investigators that the suspects repeatedly threatened to kill him. The reason for this horrific attack? The victim told authorities that the suspects targeted him because he had been speaking to one of the suspects’ girlfriends. Talk about a bizarre and dangerous escalation.

This is way beyond a normal teenage fight

To make things even worse, the suspects allegedly told the victim they would harm him and his family if he reported the attack to the police. Investigators say one of the suspects even recorded the alleged attack, which is just awful. Eventually, the victim was released and immediately reported the incident to authorities. When investigators examined him, they found extensive injuries that were totally consistent with his account, including bruises across his back, chest, and legs.

It’s a clear indication that something terrible happened. When questioned by authorities, several of the suspects reportedly admitted to carrying out the attack. They even said they had been planning it for about a week, which shows a level of premeditation that’s just chilling. All four teenagers are now charged with aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon and engaging in organized crime, according to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.

If they’re convicted, these young men could face anywhere from five to 99 years in prison. That’s a huge amount of time, and it really underscores the seriousness of these charges, especially when incidents like a 12-year-old who died after defending her sister from a bully highlight how quickly such confrontations can turn fatal. Interestingly, two of the suspects have since been released on a surety bond. One got out on March 5, and the other followed a day later. However, the other two suspects are still in police custody.

The Del Valle Independent School District (ISD) released a statement acknowledging the situation. A representative told us, “Del Valle ISD is aware of the reports of an off-campus incident that resulted in the arrests of former DVISD students.” They added that the Travis County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the incident and that the district doesn’t have further information right now. The district also emphasized that the safety of its students and staff is the top priority.

It added that officials will continue monitoring the situation and will communicate with the school community if there are any impacts to the school environment.