Florida High School Brawl: 11 Students Arrested After Chaotic Altercation at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast.

 

A recent altercation at a Florida high school resulted in the arrest of 11 students, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. The incident took place around 1 p.m. on Monday when two school resource officers, School Resource Deputy King and School Resource Deputy Landi, responded to a disturbance in a hallway at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast.

Upon arrival, the officers encountered a large crowd of students in the hallway, with several of them engaged in a physical fight. Deputy Landi and Deputy King immediately joined teachers and administrators in their efforts to break up the fight and disperse the onlookers.

The authorities detailed three specific incidents that occurred during the brawl, leading to the arrest of three students. A 14-year-old female student allegedly pushed Deputy King to attack another student. This led to her arrest on charges of felony resisting a law enforcement officer with violence, disruption of a school function, and disorderly conduct.

Deputy Landi, in his attempt to regain control of the situation, witnessed a male student charging at a school staff member, striking the staff member in the shoulder. The 17-year-old student was arrested for felony battery on a school official.

In a third incident, another 17-year-old male student was observed grabbing and assaulting a school administrator. Simultaneously, another school administrator was trying to escort a student away from the fight when another male student assaulted the administrator. The student responsible for the attack was arrested for felony battery on a school official and disorderly conduct.

Affidavits were submitted to the State Attorney's Office, recommending misdemeanor charges against the other eight students involved, as confirmed by the sheriff's office. Alongside this information, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office shared body camera footage of the incident, showing students engaged in altercations and the subsequent arrests. 

Parents of Matanzas High School students were notified of the incident.

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly expressed his disappointment at the lack of respect demonstrated by the involved students. He emphasized the importance of teaching children to respect teachers, staff, and deputies while resolving disagreements peacefully. Staly also reaffirmed the school's zero-tolerance policy for violence and praised the quick response of School Resource Deputies and Matanzas High School staff in managing the volatile situation.

Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore echoed the sentiment, urging parents and guardians to reinforce positive decision-making in their children and stressing that the actions of a few do not represent the majority of students, teachers, and staff who strive to create a positive school environment.

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