Brazoswood HS football player in ICU after alleged attack by teammate: 'They left him on the road'

ByCourtney Carpenter KTRK logo
Monday, December 6, 2021
Teen beat by 'people who were supposed to be friends,' family says
A Brazoswood High School student has been charged with aggravated assault after allegedly attacking a fellow student at a party on Friday night.

LAKE JACKSON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Brazoswood High School student has been charged with aggravated assault after allegedly attacking a fellow student at a party on Friday night.

Lake Jackson police said they were called to a home on Cherrywood Court around 11:30 p.m. Friday after receiving an EMS call about an unconscious 16-year-old who was bleeding from his ears.

Cole Hagan remains in ICU and according to his family, he suffered two skull fractures and a broken clavicle as a result of the alleged attack.

"They left him in the road after they finished attacking him and then texted one of his friends that were in the backyard of this house to say, 'Hey come get your boy out of the street.' They left him in the street, people who were supposed to be his friends," explained Cory Hagan, Cole's older brother.

Court documents allege two other teenagers lured Cole out of the party by telling him his truck got hit. Then, 17-year-old Reid Mitchell allegedly punched Cole in the face, slammed him into the concrete and threw three or four hard elbows, according to a witness.

The affidavit states Mitchell told police that there had been a buildup of animosity over "the victim's perceived behavior to some of their female acquaintances."

"Sadly, I think it's a long shot for him to ever play football again, which was one of his biggest passions," said Cory.

Cole is a junior at Brazoswood High School where he played as wide receiver. The Lake Jackson Police Department said other charges are pending and they believe they know the identity of everyone involved.

Cole's family is offering a reward for a video of the incident they believe will show what happened.

"Supposedly there's a video. So I went on (Facebook) and said, 'Hey, I'll give you $1,000 if you bring the video.' (It's) a lot of money to a high school kid and the support just started rolling in," Cory said.

With the help of the community, the reward is now up to $25,000.

Ultimately, Cory said he wants the people involved to be held accountable.

"The kids that planned this, the kids that instigated this, the kids that had something to do with it, watched it, left him in the road. Yeah, they all need to be punished," said Cory.

Brazosport ISD is aware of what happened and released the following statement:

We are aware that a Brazoswood High School student was the victim of an off-campus assault at a Lake Jackson residence by another Brazoswood student over the weekend. The victim is severely injured and remains in our thoughts and prayers. The student involved will not be on campus. The incident is under investigation by the Lake Jackson Police Department. If more information is discovered as a result of the investigation, we will take actions accordingly. We expect our students, staff and Brazoswood community to come together to help support the victim and family. Any retaliation or threats will not be tolerated, and students will be charged to the fullest extent of the law. This event did not occur on campus, but we will have additional police officers and counseling available for students in effort to assist them on campus beginning Monday, Dec. 6.

After being sedated and on a ventilator all weekend, Cole's family said he is now able to breathe on his own. According to a Facebook post from Cory, "they got him out of bed to take a few steps (on Monday)."

A community prayer vigil is being organized for Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Freeport Community Park.