4 hearth and rescue staff have been arrested in reference to the alleged “violent” hazing of a firefighter at a Florida hearth station, authorities mentioned Wednesday.
The alleged hazing started with “grease being smeared on the sufferer” and escalated from there to the firefighter allegedly being crushed with a belt together with his underwear pulled down and waterboarded, in accordance with Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods.
“In my 30 years as a firefighter, that is essentially the most egregious factor that I’ve seen been reported to me,” Marion County Hearth Chief James Banta mentioned throughout a press briefing on Wednesday, including that he was “in shock and disgusted.”
Marion County Hearth Chief James Banta speaks throughout a press briefing on Nov. 26, 2025, in Marion County, Florida.
Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace
Three Marion County Hearth Rescue staff — Edward Kenny III, 22, an EMT; Seth Day, 22, a firefighter/EMT; and Tate Trauthwein, 19 a firefighter/EMT — have been arrested for kidnapping, theft and battery, authorities mentioned. A fourth — Kaylee Bradley, 25, a paramedic — has been arrested for theft and principal/accent to theft, authorities mentioned. It’s unclear if they’ve attorneys at the moment.
The incident occurred whereas the alleged sufferer was working a 24-hour shift at Hearth Station 21 in Ocala on Nov. 16, in accordance with the arrest affidavit.
The alleged sufferer instructed authorities that a number of firefighters — together with Day and Trauthwein — initially smeared grease on him, in accordance with the affidavit.
“The sufferer acknowledged he tried to not let it trouble him and didn’t retaliate,” the arrest affidavit acknowledged.
A Marion County Hearth Rescue hearth truck.
Marion County Hearth Rescue
The alleged hazing escalated after the suspects tried to get the firefighter’s cellphone password after they realized he had a viral TikTok video, in accordance with the arrest affidavit. The alleged sufferer instructed authorities that Trauthwein requested him about his giant Instagram following, which he attributed to a TikTok video on a dancing pattern that he mentioned was “embarrassing” and he had since deleted and now not had, in accordance with the affidavit.
Trauthwein is accused of then throwing the firefighter’s work boots into the woods close by, and when the firefighter went to retrieve them, he was allegedly grabbed from behind and held down by Kenny and Day, in accordance with the affidavit.
“The sufferer suggested initially he thought they have been simply enjoying round,” the affidavit acknowledged. “Co-defendant Trauthwein then eliminated the sufferer’s belt and the sufferer’s pants have been pulled down. The sufferer now not thought they have been enjoying round.”
Trauthwein is accused of taking the firefighter’s cellphone and handing it to Bradley, then whipping him with the belt, in accordance with the affidavit.
“The sufferer suggested the defendants requested for his cellular phone password and suggested they might cease if he offered the password,” the affidavit acknowledged.
Bradley allegedly tried to unlock the cellphone and took photos of the firefighter along with her telephone, in accordance with the affidavit.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods speaks throughout a press briefing on Nov. 26, 2025, in Marion County, Florida.
Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace
The firefighter mentioned he tried to get away however was allegedly held down by Kenny and Day whereas Trauthwein put a towel over his face, in accordance with the affidavit. Water was then poured onto the towel roughly thrice as he struggled to breathe and the suspects allegedly laughed, in accordance with the affidavit.
The firefighter mentioned he was solely let go when a service name got here in and he left, in accordance with the affidavit. He by no means gave them his cellphone password, in accordance with Woods.
The 4 arrested staff have been terminated, in accordance with Banta.
“Their actions, now the topic of great felony fees, signify a disturbing violation of the whole lot that this occupation stands for,” Banta mentioned through the press briefing. “What occurred was unacceptable, inexcusable and basically opposite to the core values of our hearth division.”
“Let me be completely clear, these people concerned on this incident forfeited their proper to put on the uniform the second they selected an act and method that endangered, harmed and betrayed a fellow firefighter,” he continued. “Their habits doesn’t replicate who we’re and what we stand for.”
The alleged sufferer is a 19-year-old firefighter who had been working for the division for about 5 months on the time of the incident, authorities mentioned. The firefighter, whose identify has not been launched, stays on the job, Banta mentioned.
“He is diligent in doing his job. He is been provided the power to take a while, through which he is refused. His precise phrases have been, he has a job to do,” Banta mentioned.
Banta mentioned the incident was reported to him on Nov. 19. The Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace was subsequently contacted to analyze.
“Being the son of a firefighter myself, it’s disappointing,” Woods mentioned through the briefing.
Along with the felony case, Marion County Hearth Rescue is reviewing a sheriff’s workplace investigation to find out if any administrative actions are obligatory for others who have been conscious of or current through the incident, Banta mentioned. The company can also be going to retrain management and reaffirm in stations that this kind of exercise will not be tolerated, he mentioned.
“Our precedence transferring ahead is guaranteeing that each member of this division works in a secure, respectful {and professional} setting,” Banta mentioned.
