"According to the mother, the school suspended her son because he refused to cooperate in the investigation. She says he was scared."

If he didn't want to get suspended, he should have cooperated. That simple. He is a hero, but he deserved his punishment. Quit trying to act like he got punished for being a hero. He got punished for a reason. Everyone seems to skip over that part. It may be because he feared for his safety, from gangs, or other associates with that guy. I don't know the whole story. He didn't get sent home for the hell of it though.