A pair of fights between students at East Chapel Hill High School on Friday led to several responding staff being injured and students being held over in classrooms.
The Chapel Hill Police Department saw officers respond to two, separate fights at the high school off Weaver Dairy Road, the first around 11:48 a.m. and a second at 1:52 p.m. According to police, three adults suffered non-life-threatening injuries while trying to break up the first altercation, while two were injured in the second. The fights are under investigation by law enforcement, which clarified its officers have no reason to believe any weapons were involved in either incident.
An email from East Chapel Hill High School Principal Jesse Casey on Friday evening to families confirmed five staff members suffering injuries, but added that he was “grateful to report that everyone is okay.” Casey said he is proud of his staff and “the vast majority of students” who remained calm and followed directions during both altercations.
“Events like today are not typical at East, and on the rare occasions when they do occur, we take them seriously and act quickly,” wrote Casey. “If your child has questions or concerns, please let us know. We can connect students with our counselors and mental-health specialists.”
The principal added that East Chapel Hill High leadership is taking the “appropriate next steps” for students involved in the separate fights, including “consequences for those responsible.” Student privacy laws and protocols do not allow the school or district to publicly identify individual students, so no participants were named in the Friday evening alert.
Emails from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district administration alerted parents to the incidents, with the first being shared at 2:40 p.m. and saying a “hold” was put into place — a security status meant to keep students and staff in their current rooms or area. CHCCS said police and emergency responders were on campus to assist staff responding to the aftermath of the fight. A follow-up message at 3:11 p.m. said the hold was lifted and East Chapel Hill High would proceed on schedule with its normal dismissal time of 4 p.m.
“While we are still gathering all of the necessary information, we want to acknowledge that this was a difficult afternoon at school,” said CHCCS Chief Communications Officer Andy Jenks in the second message to families. “While we’re unable to share specific details, we want to be sure you know that East’s counselors and support staff have already begun to reach out to students who may need support processing what they witnessed today.”
As of Friday afternoon, Chapel Hill Police said there have not been any decisions about whether charges will be brought against any of the fights’ participants.
Featured photo via Town of Chapel Hill.
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