DURHAM, N.C. — The Durham County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after reports of students engaging in sexual activity on a high school campus. It includes reports of live streaming sexual acts unknown to some student victims.
According to a report, an Assistant Principal at Riverside High School informed officers he “found students were conducting sexual acts in a classroom near the RPC classroom.” The RPC is an acronym for Restorative Practice Center.
Search warrants obtained by WNCN reveal on May 17, two students got into an altercation after a recording showed the two involved in a sex act. The Riverside School Resource Officer (SRO) said the girl told them that the boy showed a video of the sex act to classmates and told other students about the recording.
The student also told the SRO, the boy had previously attempted to record other intimate moments, but she refused. She also said the video was shown to students against her will.
The SRO also said two other students notified them that Instagram was used to stream the sexual encounter. The report reveals the live video gave all users access to the video.
WNCN also reports investigators said another girl withdrew from the school after the same student showed classmates a video on him and the girl “conducting sexual conduct on school property in a classroom.”
The Durham County Sheriff’s Office said deputies have seized several cell phones as part of the investigation.
A Durham Public Schools spokesperson released the following statement:
Riverside Principal Tonya Williams and her team, as well as the Durham County Office of the Sheriff, are investigating allegations that some students engaged in inappropriate sexual activity on the Riverside campus that was then shared to social media. Principal Williams has taken steps to help prevent such incidents from happening in the future. Due to student privacy laws we cannot share any more information on the subject, but we are investigating, and the safety and privacy of our students is our highest concern.