ELLSWORTH COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Ellsworth County are investigation a case of hazing involving high school students from Great Bend.

The Great Bend activities bus was in Ellsworth County when the incident happened on Saturday, February 6, according to Ellsworth County Sheriff Tracy Ploutz.

The students were returning from Manhattan after participating in the Manhattan Invitational for swimming.
Ploutz says the situation went beyond hazing.

“I use the term hazing but it was pranks that got out of hand and turned into something worse,” said Ploutz.

An Ellsworth Deputy received a call from the Great Bend Police Department on Saturday. The GBPD notified the deputy the incident happened in Ellsworth County and sent the Sheriff’s Office a copy of their report.

Ploutz says his office received the report Tuesday morning and began talking with the students involved Wednesday afternoon.

“With what information we’ve gathered we are looking at three or four victims and four or five possible suspects, he said.

Ploutz also added he has a hard time labeling the incident as a fight considering how one-sided the incident was. Several victims may been assaulted on the Great Bend bus.
Ploutz says his department is still gathering information and will eventually forward the case to the Ellsworth County Attorney.