A 20-minute brawl involving around 40 students broke out at a Los Angeles high school May 9.
Officials with the Los Angeles Unified School District say they’re adding school police officers, counselors and administrative staff to the campus of Sylmar High School after the lunchtime brawl that left several students bloodied and bruised.
The fights, partially shown in a cell phone video below, included several smaller altercations spread out over the school’s open campus.
Twelve officers and a supervisor from the LAUSD and LAPD were dispatched to the campus to stop the fighting. School officials emailed parents about the incident and say disciplinary action has been taken. Los Angeles police are also investigating the fights.
Several students claimed the fighting was the result of racial tension at the school, reports the Los Angeles Times.
“We want to reassure parents that the safety of all students and staff remains our top priority,” District Superintendent Michele King says. “The bottom line is that all students are welcome at L.A. Unified Schools.”
Many parents withheld their children from school Wednesday, citing threats sent through social media and other concerns. Parents also criticized the district’s response.
“Why is there nothing in place? This is not a new problem that started yesterday,” parent Gwendolyn Posey-Murray asks.
Fox LA reports the school is 94 percent Hispanic and three percent African-American.
