Parents of beaten Texas athlete sue friends and their parents for $50 million over attack

Family attorney says ‘no choice but to pursue’ claims against those behind assault

Reid Mitchell, 17, Ayden Holland, 17, and Logan Huber, 18, were arrested following the assault on Cole Hagan (Courtesy of the Lake Jackson Police Department)

The family of beaten college athlete Cole Hagan have reportedly sued 16 people, including his friends and their parents, for the brazen attack.

The 16-year-old was assaulted by his fellow teammates at Texas’s Brazoswood High School following a party last month, and has seen been recovering in hospital.

While Cole was able to return home for Christmas, according to reports, his family are seeking $50m (£38m) in damages for what transpired on 3 December.

“The Hagan family is going to pursue justice in this case,” said lawyer Loren Klitsas in an interview with Insider on Wednesday.

“Their son Cole, a star football player, is permanently damaged, and they have no choice but to pursue the parties that are responsible for it. It’s horrible.”

The lawsuit alleges that 17-year-old Reid Mitchell and Ayden Holland, as well as 18-year-old Logan Huber, were responsible for planning the assault at a house party.

As were a number of Brazoswood High School students reportedly aware of a plan to attack Cole, who ended up in an ICU and will be unlikely to play college football again, his family have said.

The three individuals who were charged with aggravated assault by police in Lake Jackson were also accused of issuing “false and defamatory statements” about Cole and of altering their account of events.

At least nine parents of students at the Texas high school are also named. It was unclear if they had attorneys, or if they had a chance to enter a plea.