The teenager from Tampa who was beaten by Israeli police earlier this month returned home on Wednesday.

Tariq Abu Khdeir, a 15-year-old Palestinian-American student at Universal Academy of Florida high school, arrived at Tampa International Airport around 10:30 p.m., and spoke to the media shortly after.

"It was by far the scariest thing that's ever happened to me," Khdeir said. "I hope the violence stops."

Khdeir's mother, Suha Abu Khdeir also spoke to the media after her son's arrival.

"I know he got lucky," Suha Khdeir said. "I feared for his life."

Khdeir was in East Jerusalem visiting family. He attended a demonstration for his Arab cousin, Mohammed Abu Khdeir, who was killed in retaliation for the deaths of three Israeli teens.

Video appears to show three uniformed Israeli police officers beating Khdeir, whom police accused of throwing rocks during the rally. An Israeli police officer was later suspended for 15 days and faces possible criminal charges in connection with the beating.

Tariq Khdeir maintains he was only watching the rally when police grabbed him. He was eventually released from jail and placed on nine days of house arrest.