Oct. 8 -- Santa Fe Public Schools has suspended at least one player on the Santa Fe High School football team after reports of a hazing incident surfaced Tuesday.
A school district spokesperson said the district is coordinating efforts with the Santa Fe Police Department and its own safety and security personnel to look into the matter.
"Detectives were on campus [Tuesday] conducting their investigation," said police Deputy Chief Ben Valdez. "Once they have obtained additional information, they will make their evaluations and determine if a criminal act has taken place."
Santa Fe Public Schools released a statement Tuesday afternoon on Facebook saying it had received a report earlier in the day an alleged hazing incident took place "involving student-athletes on the Santa Fe High football team."
"We take this situation with the utmost seriousness, as the safety, well-being and dignity of all students are our top priorities," the district statement said. "Every student has the right to be treated with respect and is expected to demonstrate the same respect toward others."
District spokesman Joe Abeyta was unable to clarify the number of students involved, but he did say preliminary action has already taken place regarding one or more athletes.
"Those students have been suspended from the team pending the outcome of the investigation," Abeyta said. "This is an ongoing matter."
The Demons are scheduled to play at home Friday night against district rival Atrisco Heritage Academy at Ivan Head Stadium. Both Abeyta and Santa Fe High head coach Andrew Martinez confirmed the game is still on.
Multiple coaches did not attend Tuesday's regularly scheduled football practice, including Martinez and offensive coordinator Adrian Gonzales.
Demons assistant coach Joe Jiron was there but declined comment. He said he was told he was not allowed to speak to the media regarding the situation. Same, too, for the players taking part in Tuesday's workout.
It's unclear if Martinez and Gonzales are part of the investigation or if they will be available for Friday's game. When asked for clarification, Abeyta said the involvement of Martinez and every other coach on the Demons' staff is "a personnel matter."
"I support the investigation and decision made by SFPS," Martinez wrote in a text message Tuesday.
Valdez said the police department has had the cooperation of the school district, but any decisions regarding the availability of the players and coaches is entirely up to school administrators. He said his department will likely be able to shed light on the timeline of the incidents as early as Wednesday.
He declined to say if the investigation was of a criminal matter.
Hazing incidents are not unfamiliar territory to teams in and around the Santa Fe area. Robertson had a much-publicized incident in 2008 that led to criminal charges against six players when it was revealed they'd taken part in sodomizing teammates at an off-campus training camp.
Santa Fe High's boys basketball team had an incident on the team bus in 2016 when a younger player was assaulted and injured by an upperclassmen on a road trip back from Albuquerque. It led to the dismissal of the team's varsity head coach.
Pojoaque Valley had hazing allegations levied against five players on the football team in 2021 after reports surfaced several players "pantsed" teammates in the locker room.
New Mexico State University's men's basketball team had its entire program shut down in 2022 when a hazing incident against a pair of freshmen players came to light. The Aggies forfeited the final five games of the season and dismissed every coach and player from the program.