MARION COUNTY, FL – Four Florida firefighters face felony charges after allegedly attacking a 19-year-old rookie during his second shift, stripping him down, beating him, and waterboarding him three times because they wanted to see a TikTok video on his phone.
The brutal hazing incident at Marion County Fire Rescue’s Station 21 led to criminal charges and the firing of ten employees, including senior leadership who failed to stop the assault.
According to Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, the nightmare began when colleagues demanded the teenager unlock his phone so they could view a TikTok video he had posted. When he refused, they chased him into the parking lot.
What happened next goes far beyond typical workplace hazing. The four suspects allegedly removed the rookie’s pants and belt, then began striking him repeatedly. They didn’t stop there, pulling off his underwear and continuing the assault as he begged them to stop.
The violence escalated when they dragged the young firefighter through the parking lot. Someone grabbed a water bottle and towel and proceeded to waterboard him three times while he screamed that he couldn’t breathe.
“Stop! Stop!” the victim pleaded, according to the sheriff’s account. His cries were ignored.
The four employees now facing charges are Tate Trauthwein, 19, and Edward Kenny, 22, both charged with kidnapping, battery, and robbery. Seth Day, 22, faces the same charges. Kaylee Bradley, 25, a paramedic who allegedly took the victim’s phone and recorded the attack, faces robbery charges and an accessory charge.
Fire Chief James Banta called the incident “a disturbing violation of everything that this profession stands for.”
“This behavior is unacceptable, inexcusable and fundamentally contrary to the core values of this organization,” Banta said while announcing that ten employees had been terminated.
Despite the trauma, the victim has returned to work at a different station. The four suspects face years in prison if convicted on the felony charges.
