Principal Body Slammed to Ground during Sacramento High School Brawl
Three frames from the video show the principal attacked by a student wearing blue.
SACRAMENTO—Three high school students were arrested earlier this week for a physical fight that included body slamming their principal to the ground and injuring several school officials. The altercation, which involved two separate incidents, was captured on video and posted to Facebook and YouTube.
“There ended up being three arrests,” said Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Tony Turnbull. Officers arrested two 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old on charges that included battery and making threats.
Junior Dezhon Jackson saw the fight and told KCRA News, “I see the principal get flipped. I just see a whole lot of ruckus…a lot of people were just crowding over getting on tables and yelling to fight, encouraging it.”
Xanthi Pinkerton, a spokesperson for the Elk Grove Unified School District said three school officials sustained minor injuries. “I do know one of the school officials, the principal, was involved in stabilizing the situation. One incident involved eight to 10 students. There was a particular relationship-oriented disagreement.”
In the second incident, she said one student had insulted another and they ended up in an altercation.
News of the two incidents spread quickly on the 1,500-student campus, alarming parents, students and former students.
Leanna Ruiz, who graduated from Florin High School in 2014, saw the video posted on the Internet. When she spoke to a KCRA reporter she said, “Instead of them choosing to be educated, they choose to fight and hurt the staff,” she said.” I honestly think it’s horrible to see my old principal get put on his back by other students.”
Police presence was increased on campus Tuesday after threats were found written in one of the bathrooms.
Freshman Leilah Windom told the reporter that her classes were nearly empty. “Nobody came to school on Tuesday. My first period was only like four people.”
Parent Richard Duong chose to keep his son away from school on Tuesday and said, “He can miss school for one day, but he cannot miss his life forever,”.
Another parent, who asked not to be identified, said, “If this happens one more time, I’m pulling my kid out of school.”
Read/view more: KCRA News