- The Washington Times - Friday, February 23, 2018

A former NFL player who complained he had been the victim of bullying by teammates forced a school closing this week with a single “revenge” image on Instagram.

Jonathan Martin charged Miami Dolphins players with hazing five years ago, along with bullying by offensive lineman Richie Incognito. The athlete, who retired in 2015, was back in the news on Friday after a “shotgun” Instagram post spread to media outlets.

“When you’re a bully victim and a coward, your options are suicide or revenge,” a message on Mr. Martin’s verified but private account read on Thursday.

Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City, California, along with Mr. Incognito and two others were tagged in the image.

The post by Mr. Martin, a 2008 Westlake graduate, follows the Feb. 14 shooting massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, was arrested, charged him with 17 counts of premeditated murder, and held without bond.

“Last evening, we learned of an Internet post that mentions Harvard-Westlake by name,” the school said in a statement after closing its campuses on Friday, the New York Post reported. “Out of an abundance of caution, and because the safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority, we made the decision to close school today. We are working closely with law enforcement and will share more information when we are able.”

• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.

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