Philadelphia Police: Multiple Students In Custody After Several Fights Break Out At Samuel Fels High School
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia police say multiple students have been taken into custody after several fights broke out inside Samuel Fels High School on Monday morning. It was a frenzy inside the Crescentville high school as dozens of students fought uncontrollably in the lunchroom.
The school was locked down for around two hours before it was lifted at 11:30 a.m.
Cellphone footage from students that were eating inside at the time shows ninth and tenth graders arguing and fighting each other.
The fights led to a citywide response from police to end the melee, but the fighting just wouldn't stop. Multiple students ended up being taken into custody.
School officials believe the fight stemmed from a neighborhood issue that spilled into the school. Even after things calmed down, Fels High remained on lockdown for some time.
Students had to sit in classrooms with the doors closed while a search was conducted.
Parents of special needs children were called earlier in the day and given the green light to drive onto the campus to pick their children up. Everyone else had to sit outside, off school grounds, and wait for police to clear the street so they could go in.
Senior Melissa Leon said it was chaotic inside the school during the brawl.
"There were a lot of chairs being thrown, people were standing on tables," she said. "Once it died down, another fight would happen. Even if they took some kids out it would continue because kids would continue to exchange words."
Students say there was also a fight on the corner last Friday that they believe is connected to today's brawl.
Philadelphia School District Superintendent Dr. William Hite said no one was injured.
CBS3's Alecia Reid reports.
