CovCath: Investigation into viral video incident exonerates students

PARK HILLS, Ky. (WKRC) - Covington Catholic officials say their third party investigation into the incident at the Lincoln Memorial is complete and the students did not instigate the incident. A letter from Bishop Roger Foys to parents says the inquiry did "exonerate our students so that they can move forward with their lives." According to the report, Greater Cincinnati Investigation was hired to look into the incident, which went viral. A video that showed a small portion of interaction between students and Native American Nathan Phillips was tweeted from a now suspended account. It implied that the students wearing MAGA hats were confronting Phillips. Investigators interviewed 43 students, nine faculty chaperones and four of the seven parent chaperones. They asked to interview Nick Sandmann in person but were referred to his previous written statement. They also reviewed about 50 hours of media reports, YouTube videos, Vimeo and social media accounts. They tried to get surveillance video from the Lincoln Memorial. They also tried to contact the person behind a social media account that posted some of the videos. Neither has responded. They called and emailed Nathan Phillips who didn't respond. They also went to a home in Ypsilanti, Michigan to try to talk to him but he wasn't there for the six hours they were there. They said they wanted to clear up some inconsistencies in his media interviews. Investigators found the students did not respond with any offensive or racist statements to those made by the Black Hebrew Israelites, who were trying to engage several people at the Lincoln Memorial before the video showing the students and Phillips. They found the students didn't make any racist statements to Phillips or his group. The report noted some students did perform a "tomahawk chop" to Phillips drumming and some joined in his chant. The investigation addressed the MAGA hats. Few, if any, were wearing them when they left the school to head for Washington, D.C. Most who were wearing the hats bought them at the March for Life. There is no school policy prohibiting political apparel on school trips. Investigators looked into the teen who is heard on video saying "it's not rape if you enjoy it". They say he does not attend CovCath. They also couldn't confirm that a group of students making comments to two girls as they walk by are students at CovCath. Investigators say the statements from students and chaperones are "remarkably" consistent and consistent with the videos. They've issued the final report. The letter to parents also reads in part, "In truth, taking everything into account, our students were placed in a situation that was at once bizarre and even threatening. Their reaction to the situation was, given the circumstances, expected and one might even say laudatory. These students had come to Washington, D.C. to support life. They marched peacefully with hundreds of thousands of others - young and old and in-between - to further the cause of life. These young high school students could never have expected what they experienced on the stops of the Lincoln Memorial while waiting for the busses to take them home. Their stance was surely a pro-life stance. I commend them."