GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) 鈥 A transgender teenager from Massachusetts is recovering after allegedly being punched, kicked and stomped upon by other high schoolers at a party.
Sixteen-year-old Jayden Tkaczyk said he was at an outdoor party Friday night in Gloucester when as many as a dozen teenagers attacked him and called him homophobic slurs. They chased Tkaczyk into the woods, where police found him. He said he was taken to a local hospital and treated for his injuries, including a broken bone under his right eye and scratches and bruises on his body.
鈥淚 was scared, but I thought to myself that if I escape and I get out, that things will eventually get better,鈥 Tkaczyk told The Associated Press. 鈥淎s I was getting hit, it was terrifying. I thought I was going to die, but I tried to keep a positive mindset.鈥
Tkaczyk's mother, Jasmine, said she was terrified when she got the call that her son was in the hospital.
鈥淭his was my worst fear for Jayden. This is been my biggest fear for him as a mom of a transgender kid,鈥 she said of him being assaulted. 鈥淕etting that phone call was one of the most terrifying things to experience. Having to go to the hospital to see him in that condition. When I got that call, I was just praying that he was alive.鈥
The Office of the Essex County District Attorney said it was 鈥渁ware of the serious allegations" and was working with the Gloucester Police Department on what it called 鈥渢his active and ongoing investigation involving juvenile parties.鈥
It would not comment further, including whether anyone has been arrested.
Tkaczyk, who said he has been scared to leave his house since the attack, said he hopes the teens are held accountable.
鈥淣o one has been arrested. No one has been charged, and nothing has happened to the kids that caused this,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f people or if the city wants to make this city better, then they should start taking action to help their community be safer.鈥
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said MassEquality, an LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy group, has been in touch with the family and that they and others have reached out to her civil rights division and children鈥檚 justice unit.
Campbell said her office is actively following up on the complaint.
鈥淲hat we鈥檝e heard is horrific to say the least, but like any investigation we do it thoughtfully, we do it in partnership with community and constituents, and that won鈥檛 change here,鈥 she said. 鈥淪o we鈥檒l do what we can to investigate this quickly and thoroughly.鈥
Tkaczyk, who goes to a vocational school, said he has long been bullied because he is transgender, including being forced off the Gloucester High School football team. He said the district in the past has done nothing to address his complaints about bullying but he hopes that changes now.
鈥淏ullying reports have been stacked up and stacked up and stacked up on kids bullying me not just mentally but physically,鈥 Tkaczyk said. 鈥淥ver 11 years, I鈥檝e been getting bullied. ... It鈥檚 been a terrible and hard struggle for me, and I don鈥檛 open up to anybody about how really bad it is.鈥
Gloucester Public Schools Superintendent Ben Lummis, at a press conference Tuesday, said the district is taking the allegations seriously. But the district did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
James Cook, the principal of Gloucester High School, sent a letter Tuesday to the school community advising them of the weekend attack and advising children 鈥渟truggling with news of this incident鈥 or anyone who 鈥渇eels unsafe for any reason鈥 to seek out a school staff member.
鈥淐reating a safe and inclusive environment that supports all of our students, staff, and families is our number one priority,鈥 Cook wrote. 鈥淎lthough this is a difficult message to send the night before our first day, I have confidence that our staff will come together to welcome all students back to GHS.鈥
鈥斺赌
This story has been updated to correct to Jayden, not Jordan, in fifth paragraph.
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Associated Press writer Steve LeBlanc in Boston contributed to this report.
