I don't agree. He is not a child (yes, I know legally he is considered a child), he is a young man. How long do this 95% grown people get to use "child" as a defense??? How can one say he looks like trouble??? Ummm....I would say the broken face of the other kid reveals his capability for trouble.
One of my favorite sayings is "I am not trying to raise a perfect child, I am trying to raise a responsible adult." Please do not make excuses or try to make this young man the victim. I understand the other kid played a role--did Dalton really feel so threatened by him that he had to defend him