Eleven high school students could be facing charges after a brawl broke out in the middle of the school day, ending with some of them in handcuffs.
The incident occurred around 1 p.m. Monday at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast, Florida. That's when two school resource officers responding to a disturbance in the school's hallway found a crowd of students physically fighting while another group stood and watched, according to Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
The two resource deputies "immediately assisted" school employees in trying to break up the fight and disperse "the crowd of on-lookers," the sheriff's office said. But during the scuffle, three students attacked the employees, resulting in three physical arrests.
In one instance, a female student pushed a deputy to attack another student. The deputy grabbed the 14-year-old and placed the student under arrest for disorderly conduct, disruption of a school function and felony resisting a law enforcement officer with violence.
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The second instance involved the other deputy. This time, a 17-year-old student ran into the altercation, charged at a school staff member while swinging his arms and ultimately punching the staff member in the shoulder, the sheriff's office said. The staff member detained and held the student until deputies handcuffed and arrested him for felony battery on a school official.
At the same time as these alleged incidents, a school administrator was attempting to escort a student away from the fight when another male student ran up and grabbed the educator. The 17-year-old "then battered the administrator" before being taken to the dean's office and later being arrested for disorderly conduct and felony battery on a school official, the sheriff's office said.
Affidavits filed with the State Attorney's Office recommend eight other students involved in the brawl be charged with misdemeanor offenses, authorities said.
"The lack of respect demonstrated by these students is simply shameful. But actions have consequences," said Sheriff Rick Staly. "We have a zero-tolerance policy for violence at schools, and you will be arrested."
"I agree with what our sheriff has said in the past; this type of behavior is not to be tolerated by anyone. That said, these actions are not indicative of the thousands of students who come to our campuses each and every day to learn," said Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore. "This is an opportunity for our parents and guardians to reinforce the good choices their children decide to make and remind them why it is important to be successful in life."
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