Gilroy High School administrators put the school on lock down
after gang-related fights broke out at both lunch and brunch,
sources said.
If anyone has photos or videos of the events at Gilroy High
School today please send them to [email protected]
Police arrested seven students at Gilroy High School today who were involved in at least two fights, one of which police confirmed was gang-related.
School administrators put the campus on lock-down and about a dozen law enforcement vehicles went to the high school. Thanks in part to about two dozen law enforcement officers, the campus was quiet by 1:10 p.m. To keep the calm, police said there would also be about 30 officers on campus when the last bell rang.
The first fight broke out about 10 a.m. during brunch, when a suspected Norteño gang member and a suspected Sureño member started hitting each other, police said. A school official quickly called police, who arrested both suspects for fighting. No weapons were involved, and neither party sustained serious injuries, Sgt. John Sheedy said.
A couple hours later, more fights broke out and spurred what one officer called “the school melee.” Police arrested five people for fighting as well as delaying and obstructing some of the officers on scene.
Students, who were indoors and hard to come by this afternoon, described the second fight as a chaotic scene – at least 50 people swirling around, aimlessly punching as students on the outskirts threw food – mostly apples and milk – into the mix. There were no serious injuries, police said.
“It was shocking,” said one sophomore who declined to give her name. She and a friend described the “huge” fight as a few other students from the school newspaper snapped photos of police officers conferencing in the outdoor courtyard littered with strewn milk, chunks of fruit, wrappers and other remnants of lunch.
Sheedy said the school planned to discipline another 15 to 20 students who were involved but who police did not arrest. He also wanted to assure parents that students will be safe when school lets out.
“We’re preparing for a smooth exit this afternoon,” Sgt. John Sheedy said.
Communication between school officials wasn’t smooth though, according to parents who called The DIspatch and bemoaned the lack of communication at the high school. The school was not answering phone calls, parents said, and no alert had been sent out using the school’s mass e-mail system, known as School Loop.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
If anyone has photos or videos of the events at Gilroy High School today please send them to [email protected].
