Nex Benedict: Body cam footage reveals 16-year-old LGBTQ+ teen's account of altercation before tragic death

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TULSA, OKLAHOMA: In recently revealed body camera footage, Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary individual who passed away the day after engaging in a physical altercation with multiple other students in a high school bathroom near their Oklahoma residence, is heard recounting the events preceding the altercation during a police interview at the hospital.

In the footage released by the Owasso Police Department on February 23rd, Nex Benedict can be seen speaking to Caleb Thompson, the school resource officer, while lying on a gurney in the hours following the altercation at Owasso High School.

They explained that they poured water on three students who had been mocking the way they and their friends dressed and laughed.

Nex Benedict's mother demands action against the altercation

According to ABC News, "We were laughing and they had said something like, 'Why do they laugh like that?' And they were talking about us in front of us," the teen said in the 21-minute video about the students they had an altercation with.

"And so I went up there and I poured water on them. And then all three of them came at me."

The teenager claimed to the police that during the ensuing physical altercation, they went completely black. "I threw one of them into a paper towel dispenser. And then they got my legs out from under me and got me on the ground ... beating the s**t out of me," Nex Benedict said.

"And then my friends tried to jump in and help but I'm not sure, I blacked out."

Although Nex Benedict claimed not to be aware of the students' identities, the group had been "antagonizing" them in the days preceding the altercation.

They mentioned they "didn't really see the point," but clarified that they had informed their mother when Thompson questioned them about why they hadn't notified the school administration.

The teen's mother, Sue Benedict, was shown on camera telling Thompson that she was "very mad" and "wanted something done" regarding the altercation.

Based on recently disclosed 911 records, the mother reported the attack on her child at school by placing a call to 911 after taking the teenager to the hospital.

During their discussion about the details of filing a report on the fight, Thompson informed the two individuals that Nex Benedict "essentially started it" by throwing the water.

"The way the courts are going to look at it is it's a mutual fight," he said. "Both parties are victims, but both parties are also suspects in this."

Thompson suggested that they take some time to consider whether they want to file a charge and assured them that he would check in with them the following day. Tragically, on February 8, the adolescent passed away.

Nex Benedict did not die due to physical harm

Sue Benedict can be heard requesting an ambulance on a 911 call made that day at around 1 pm local time due to the teen's hands appearing to be in a "posturing" position.

She noted that their eyes seemed to be "sort of rolling back" and that they were breathing shallowly.

According to police, preliminary data suggests that the teen's death was not caused by physical harm resulting from the altercation. However, police stated that the exact cause of death will remain unknown until toxicology and other test results are available.

The State Medical Examiner's Office will ascertain the ultimate cause and mode of death. Owasso Police are currently conducting an investigation.

The police department stated that the case would be sent to the FBI for a "complete and thorough review" after it is finished.

In the meantime, as the family awaits the complete autopsy report, they are pleading with "all school, local, state and national officials to join forces to determine why this happened, to hold those responsible to account and to ensure it never happens again."

"The Benedicts know all too well the devastating effects of bullying and school violence, and pray for meaningful change, wherein bullying is taken seriously and no family has to deal with another preventable tragedy," the family said in an interview with ABC News.

Owasso High School and Owasso Public Schools have reportedly cooperated with the investigation, according to the Owasso Police Department.

The statement from Owasso Public Schools stated that the "safety and security of our students is our top priority and we are committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone."

However, the school district declined to comment on the findings of the investigation into the teen's death.

VP Kamala Harris condemned anti-LGBTQ bullying following teen's death

Vice President Kamala Harris has joined the chorus of people denouncing anti-LGBTQ bullying in response to the teen's death.

"My heart goes out to Nex Benedict's family, friends, and their entire community," Harris said on Friday. "To the LGBTQI+ youth who are hurting and are afraid right now: President Joe Biden and I see you, we stand with you, and you are not alone."

Federal investigations into potential violations of protections for LGBTQ students in this case are being demanded by the Human Rights Campaign.

The group requested a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding their death in letters to the Departments of Justice and Education.

In addition, the incident has caused national outrage among 2SLGBTQ groups and allies, who are calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Nex Benedict's death.

Two Spirit is a general term used in Native and Indigenous communities to refer to a third gender, and it is included in 2SLGBTQ. Sue Benedict is a Choctaw Nation member in good standing.

To honor the teen's memory, local groups, such as Transgender Advocacy Coalition of Oklahoma, Freedom Oklahoma, and Oklahomans for Equality, are holding vigils across the state and nation this weekend.

On February 19, at Owasso High School, there will also be a student walkout in opposition to bullying.