Report: Armstrong Students Suspended, Jailed After 'Choking Game' Incident

According to a report on WCCO-TV Monday night, three members of the boys hockey team have been suspended and face assault charges after participating in the "choking game" on Oct. 6.

The players have been suspended from school for 45 days and face criminal assault charges from Hennepin County after spending the weekend behind bars, according to WCCO. One of the players, an 18-year-old, was locked up at the Hennepin County Jail, while the two others were in a juvenile detention center.

The "choking game" is not new to the Robbinsdale Area Schools. In May, were participating in what they called "space monkey." In this activity, one student deprives another of oxygen by choking him or her, often creating a tingling sensation or causing the student to pass out. Some students say it's a way to get high without doing drugs or drinking alcohol.

According to Tia Clasen, communications director for the , a handful of students at and were involved, and the district sent parents an email and a phone recording warning about the potentially deadly activity.

"The 'game' is not exclusive to Robbinsdale—it's everywhere right now," Clasen told Patch on May 16. "We're taking this opportunity to tell parents that this is a good time to talk to their kids and this is a good topic to talk about."

In a statement to Patch about the WCCO report, Clasen said: "The district cannot comment on this due to data privacy laws regarding student behavior."

Parents with questions about the choking game and its prevalence can turn to this website from the Dangerous Behaviors Foundation, which is primarily dedicated to educating adults and youth about it. Parents should screen the accompanying video from the foundation before sharing it with their children.