Prior Lake High School senior Elizabeth Sigin and freshman Nya Sigin talked to FOX 9 after a racist video targeting Nya was shared widely online. School and law enforcement officials are investigating the situation. (FOX 9)
PRIOR LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The investigation into a racist video targeting a student at Prior Lake High School that made waves on social media last month is now in the hands of the county attorney, police announced on Tuesday.
Savage police say they have finished the investigation into the case in which a now-former Prior Lake student targeted Nya Sigin with racist bullying.
The investigation had been ongoing for about a month. Now, the county attorney will determine if charges will be filed against the girls involved with the bullying.
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Prior Lake high school student targeted in racist video speaks out
A community in the south metro is on edge this week because of a viral video showing a student at Prior Lake High School using the "N-word" to harass a Black student.
Video shows girls making racist comments, urging her to kill herself
In the video, which made rounds on social media in November, two girls are heard making racist remarks against Sigin and encouraging Sigin to harm herself.
"Nobody likes n****rs," the girls said as they laughed. "F***ing kill yourself right this time, do it f***king right. Cut deep enough this time or f***king tie the rope higher."
The urging for Sigin to take her own life could be the focus of the criminal investigation. Under Minnesota law, it is illegal for someone to encourage someone else to take their own life. However, police have declined to comment on what exact charges the department or county attorney was considering.
"To think that they could even say such things about another human being, it’s beyond me," Sigin said, responding to the bullying.
Some called for the student to be expelled from the district, and the school board planned a meeting on the expulsion. However, during a meeting on November 22, the school board said the student shown on camera in the video was no longer enrolled in the district.
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Prior Lake High School racist video: Support for Nya Sigin
Hundreds of students and community members showed up to Prior Lake High School on Thursday to support the Nya Sigin, who was targeted by a racist video made by a classmate.
Community shows support for Nya
After being posted online, the video sparked both outrage over the blatant racist bullying along with an outpouring of support for Sigin.
Days after the video was exposed, on November 11, a rally gathered in the parking lot outside Prior Lake High School with students and community leaders showing support and love to Sigin. On that same day, Savage Police Chief Rodney Seurer confirmed his department was investigating the incident during a news conference.
Last week, the Minnesota Vikings also surprised Sigin with tickets to the Super Bowl, after the team invited her to attend its Thursday night game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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Prior Lake girl harassed in racist video surprised with Super Bowl tickets from NFL, Vikings
Nya Sigin, the girl who was the target of harassment in a racist video that went viral online, got a huge surprise on Thursday as Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf and NFL Commissioner Roger Godell surprised her with a pair of Super Bowl tickets to this year's game in Los Angeles.