Sergeant ‘relieved of duty’ after video shows him shove youth baseball players in Texas

The now-former coach who was seen shoving the winning players after a youth baseball game was identified as a Texas sergeant, and now he has been “relieved of duty.”

Video of the incident shows Kenneth Wendt bumping into kids during the post-game high-fives between two teams, McClatchy News previously reported. His team had lost the July 9 game in west Houston. Wendt has not commented publicly about the incident.

“How are we supposed to teach our kids good sportsmanship and ensure our kids safety inside the field when you have a coach mistreating our kids,” Prospects Baseball wrote in a Facebook post the next day.

“That coach pulled me back,” a Prospects 9-and-under player is heard saying in the video. Another child said he was “hit right in the head,” though it’s unclear who might have hit him. Other boys are heard saying “ow” and that they were “hit hard” in the high-five line.

Wendt was fired from his coaching position with Scorpions Baseball the same day the video was shared online.

“His actions were unacceptable and do not align with our organization’s values,” the program said in an earlier statement to McClatchy News.

His employer, Harris County Constable Precinct 5, was made aware of the video and started an Internal Affairs investigation.

“Statements are being taken, video is being reviewed and we have contacted the coach of the other team,” a public information officer said in a July 12 statement to McClatchy News.

Since then, the spokesperson says the Houston Police Department is conducting an investigation, and findings will be reviewed by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

“The Sergeant involved in the allegations has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of this investigation,” he said. “No other information can be released until the investigation is completed by the Houston Police Department.”