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Brawl Caught On Tape After School Sparks Safety Concerns In Northeast Philadelphia

By Ileana Diaz

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A brawl caught on tape after school in Northeast Philadelphia.

And now it's sparking renewed concerns over school safety as the district struggles with funding issues.

Lincoln High School principal has suspended two teenage boys after they started a fight after school near campus. Police and the district are working to try to patrol area, but limited resources due to budget cuts create a challenge.

It's a one-on-one fist fight that quickly breaks into a mass fight with nearly dozens of high schoolers jumping in -- all caught on a cell phone by their classmates who cheer them on and watch just feet from Lincoln High School.

"Whenever you see video like that it scares people," State Representative Kevin Boyle said.

"It's a bad situation that's just spilling over," neighbor Bill Becker said.

And it is spilling into the Mayfair area, so often, that neighbors try to avoid being outdoors when school gets out, especially when they are with their little ones.

"They will run up and down alleys and smash up cars," Becker said.

"If you're in their way, they don't care and they have no respect," said Milt Martelack, a Mayfair Town Watch member and resident.

These random fights are now happening daily with vandalism up too. And Boyle says it's affecting quality of life.

"We've seen more in one month than we did all of last year and we're only one month into school," Boyle said.

Lincoln High School is notorious for being on the state's most violent schools list, but Boyle worries the budget cuts are only making the situation worse.

"Lincoln had to lay off support staff that usually deals with dismissal issues, and they're just not there anymore," Boyle said.

Leaving few resources for students after school and less hope in the community for an immediate solution.

"Parents have to be accountable and teach their kids that this is not a way of life," Martelack said.

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