FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Eleven students were arrested after being involved in what deputies described as a brawl at Matanzas High School on Tuesday, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 1 p.m., two school resource deputies responded to a disturbance in the hallway between two buildings at the school, deputies said.
According to a news release, when deputies arrived at the scene, they located a large crowd of students standing in the hallway while several other students were involved in a physical fight.
The school resource deputies helped teachers and administrators attempt to break up the fight and disperse the crowd, the sheriff’s office said.
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Officials said that during the fight, a 14-year-old female student pushed one of the deputies so they could attack another student. The deputy grabbed the student and placed her in handcuffs. She faces charges of disorderly conduct, disruption of a school function, and felony resisting a law enforcement officer with violence.
According to the release, the other deputy was working to control the melee and observed a male student run into the altercation. That deputy then observed the student charging at a school staff member while swinging his arms, ultimately punching the staff member in the shoulder. The staff member then detained the student and held him until deputies were able place him in handcuffs. The 17-year-old faces charges for felony battery on a school official, deputies said.
You can view body camera video of the arrests below:
In addition, law enforcement officials said at the same time, another school administrator tried escort a student away from the fight when another male student ran up to the administrator and grabbed them. The student is accused of battering the administrator before being taken to the dean’s office. The 17-year-old student faces charges for disorderly conduct and felony battery on a school official.
Deputies said another eight students had affidavits filed with the state attorney’s office recommending charges to be filed against them for misdemeanor offenses, including breach of peace and disturbance of a school function.
“The lack of respect demonstrated by these students is simply shameful,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said. “But actions have consequences. Parents, be the sheriff in your home and teach your kids the importance of respecting teachers, staff, and deputies. Teach them how to handle disagreements and that fighting only leads to more violence. We have a zero-tolerance policy for violence at schools, and you will be arrested.”
The school district has not said if any of the students will be expelled.
“We have seen it before, but not to the extent that it occurred on Monday. Monday was out of the ordinary,” said Flagler Sheriff Division Chief David Williams.
The fight was the latest incident where deputies were called to Matanzas High this year.
The sheriff’s office told News 6 there have been 139 calls for service to the school since the school year started, including security checks, 911 investigations, and physical disturbance calls.
Chief Williams said even with zero tolerance on their end, the fear of consequences has to start at home.
“The ones who engage at this level have no fear of consequences. I don’t know if that’s because there’s no consequences at home or they haven’t been in real trouble yet,” he said.
The school district said it’s still questioning students to find out what started the fight.
Officials said all Flagler County schools have school resource deputies assigned to each campus with high schools having two deputies each.
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