A brutal assault captured on camera
The incident unfolded on a Saturday afternoon at the Next Level Sports Training Facility in Lexington, Kentucky, where a youth soccer match turned violent. Diego Posadas Mendez, a 16‑year‑old player, was set upon by members of an opposing team.
Surveillance video released by investigators shows Diego stumbling, falling to the ground, and then being kicked repeatedly while he lay helpless. The assault continued even after he became unconscious, with the attackers striking him until he began convulsing.
Family’s fight for accountability
Lucero, Diego’s mother, received a frantic call about the attack and raced to the hospital, where she found her son covered in severe facial bruises. She described the scene as unthinkable, saying she could not comprehend how the violence persisted after her son was already down.
‘I felt a deep sense of rage and helplessness,’ Diego later told reporters, recalling how the footage made him fear a possible return to the hospital or another attack. He also expressed terror at the prospect of future convulsions.
Legal action moves forward
The family has now filed charges through the Fayette County Attorney’s Office, seeking to hold the perpetrators accountable. Lucero emphasized her aim to prevent other families from experiencing a similar traumatic event, and she expressed gratitude that other players intervened to help Diego during the assault.
As of publication, the case remains pending with the Fayette County Attorney’s Office, and multiple attempts to contact Next Level Sports Training Facility for comment went unanswered.