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Student Charged With Attempted Murder Following Cafeteria Beating

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A high school football player is behind bars, as his teammate recovers from serious injuries. It's all over a violent attack in the school cafeteria that was caught on a cell phone camera.

Rick Ritter speaks to both boys' families.

Darrien McDowell is out of the hospital and back home. WJZ had a chance to speak to his family, who says he's still in severe pain and very emotional.

Meanwhile, his classmate is being charged with attempted murder.

A brutal beat down in a Baltimore City school is caught on camera. The horrifying attack's gone viral, turning stomachs across the country.

Things quickly escalated Wednesday afternoon at Frederick Douglass High School.

Video appears to show 17-year-old Sean Johnson knocking Darrien McDowell to the ground -- a teammate on his football team -- following through with punch after punch.

It ends with Johnson stepping on the boy's head and walking away as the victim has a seizure, lying in a pool of his own blood. WJZ is not showing that part of the video.

"I seen him come out on the stretcher," said Terrell Carr, student.

Sean Johnson
Sean Johnson (Photo/Baltimore Police)

Charging documents obtained by WJZ state the incident began when Johnson asked the victim if he stole the visor from his football helmet.

Officials say after-school activities at Douglass are now canceled for the rest of the week, including the school's football game that was scheduled for Friday night.

WJZ spoke with Johnson's mother by phone, who says: "There are two sides to every story. My son is being portrayed as someone worse than he really is."

Students say the fight is the talk of the halls.

"The mood or the atmosphere has changed since that happened," said Carr.

Parents are in fear...

"I actually cried because that could have been my son," said Terry McCree, former cafeteria worker.

...As McDowell recovers from a concussion, facial fractures and a fractured nose.

WJZ got in touch with the Frederick Douglass High School football coach Thursday night. He declined to comment on the fight involving two of his players.

Johnson is charged as an adult and is being held without bond.

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