NJ high school student beat up by people stealing his sneakers

NEWARK — A student was brutally beaten over a pair of sneakers as he walked into a Newark high school.

Parents told RLS Metro Breaking News that the student was punched, kicked, and thrown to the ground outside West Side High School on Friday afternoon trying to remove sneakers from the senior's feet.

The news outlet said that video of the incident showed hooded males attacked the student while he was on the ground. Uniformed men tried to help the student.

A Newark police spokeswoman told New Jersey 101.5 on Wednesday afternoon that she would look into the matter.

Principal Akbar Cook was featured on Ellen Degeneres' show in September for his installation of washers and driers at the school so students who said they were bullied because of their dirty clothing had a place to keep them clean.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ