Joliet boy, 13, says bullies attacked him, posted video online

JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- An ABC7 Eyewitness News exclusive: a suburban school fight that some say was months in the making.

A 13-year-old student was treated for a concussion and other injuries after several other students attacked him, and then posted the video online.

The student says the boys had been taunting him for months and his pleas for help have gone unanswered.

This is the end result of months of bullying, so says the 13-year-old boy seen here in black getting pummeled by fellow junior high students. His name: Anthony Avila. He transferred to Joliet's Gompers Junior high five months ago.

"I thought I'd go to school and it would be a warm welcome, they'd show me around, but it was just the opposite. People would call me names: The devil worshipper. I'd never talk to anyone because I was shy," said Anthony.

On Monday, Avila says he was walking home from school when he was surrounded. He says he agreed to fight the boy who had been bullying him the most, hoping to end it once and for all. But three others joined in.

After the fight, it got worse. Anthony says his bully posted video of the brawl online. The taunting posts soon followed.

"They want everybody to know that I got bullied, that they're the bullies," said Anthony.

"They should be embarrassed. Their parents should be embarrassed," said Sandy Ayala, mother.

Anthony and his mom are talking publicly with the hope bullying will be taken more seriously.

"I want to make sure people know that they have a voice can use it. This is not acceptable, this should not have happened," Ayala said.

"It's not right for them to do what they did to me and just get suspended and be back to school later on, they should know it's not right," said Anthony.

Eyewitness News' attempts to reach the person who posted the video were unsuccessful. The school superintendent says several students have been suspended for their roles in the fight. Joliet police are now investigating.

Anthony Avila hasn't been back to school since he was beat up on Monday. Thursday is his last day as a 7th grader, but he says he plans to stay home.