Fitzpatrick

At a news conference on Tuesday, Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick had ordered the players to turn themselves in within 48 hours or risk being prosecuted as adults.

District Attorney Fitzpatrick described the incident as "way beyond hazing".

"I cannot really adequately express to this community the level of stupidity and lack of judgment involved in this case," Fitzpatrick said.

"At some point by pre-arrangement, people came out of the woods all dressed in black. They were armed with what appeared to be at least one handgun and at least one knife," Fitzpatrick told reporters.

"I'm not trying to sissify American youth," Fitzpatrick said.