Multiple students arrested in brawl at Merced school. Here’s the latest from police
The brawl involving several El Capitan High School students and staff this week has led to misdemeanor assault charges for three students, Merced police say.
At least three El Capitan High School students have been arrested in connection with a brawl at the school Tuesday that was captured on videos posted to social media.
All three students are under 18 and face possible misdemeanor charges for allegedly assaulting Merced Union High School staff and a school resource officer, Merced Police Capt. Joe Weiss told the Sun-Star.
“I’m confident there’s going to be some additional people charged as we move forward with investigation,” Weiss said.
Videos and photos of the altercation sparked online debate this week, as some parents and students criticized the use of force implemented to restrain students as “abuse.” Others defended school staff’s methods of dispelling the multiple fights that cropped up during the lunchtime melee.
The three students have each been arrested and released to their parents.
A school resource officer and several MUHSD staff were involved in the incident. The preliminary investigation report shows that several staff members sustained minor injuries due to violent altercations with students.
The investigation has not indicated any misconduct took place via the school resource officer’s use of force, Weiss said. MUHSD is investigating the role of its own employees in the incident.
Merced police investigate brawl at El Capitan High School
Police are reviewing school surveillance cameras and online footage as part of the ongoing investigation.
Exactly what sparked the violence remained unclear Thursday. The fight appears to have erupted after an altercation between female students spiraled out of control, and more students became involved, according to the Merced Police Department.
Ralph Calderon, the MUHSD deputy superintendent, said separate incidents were going on simultaneously during the fight between students. Many students ignored staff’s direction and interjected themselves in the incident, which made the situation more difficult to handle, Weiss said.
A statement sent by the school to parents of El Capitan students on Tuesday said that students involved in the altercation were suspended and that the ongoing investigation would lead to expulsion where appropriate.
Some Merced parents critical of school staff’s use of force
Critics of the altercation’s handling have taken online to voice outrage over how students were treated. Some concerned individuals have called for the termination of several employees.
Images captured on video depict multiple young people, visibly in distress, combating one another and several adults attempting to quell the melee. Shouts are heard across what appears to be multiple simultaneous fights.
Several critics pointed to a video that appears to show an adult staff member grabbing a young person around the neck and taking them to the ground. Some described the action as a chokehold. Other images of the incident appear to show an adult placing a knee on the neck of a young woman on the ground. Some present at the altercation claimed the student couldn’t breathe.
All the evidence must be examined before any determination can be made concerning specific accusations, Weiss said. Video footage did capture what appears to be a headlock maneuver, meaning an individual is restrained around the neck but still able to breathe, he said.
“We really want to do a comprehensive investigation,” he said. “Certainly, in a big fight like this, there’s a lot to evaluate.”
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 2:41 PM.
