- May 6, 2024
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Eleven students involved in a brawl at Matanzas High School were arrested on Oct. 9. Of the students arrested, three were physically arrested on felony charges of Resisting a Law Enforcement Officer with Violence and Battery on School Personnel. The other eight students had affidavits filed with the State Attorney’s Office recommending charges to be filed against them for misdemeanor offenses.
At approximately 1 p.m., School Resource Deputy Dennis King and School Resource Deputy John Landi responded to a disturbance in the hallway between Buildings 5 and 6. Upon arrival, deputies located a large crowd of students standing in the hallway while several other students were involved in a physical fight. Deputy Landi and Deputy King immediately assisted teachers and administrators in attempting to break up the fight and disperse the crowd of on-lookers.
During the fight, a female student pushed Deputy King so they could attack another student. Deputy King grabbed the student and placed her in handcuffs. The student, whose name is not published by the Observer because of her age, 14, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct, Disruption of a School Function, and felony Resisting a Law Enforcement Officer with violence.
At the same time, Deputy Landi was working to control the situation and observed a male student run into the altercation. Deputy Landi then observed the student charging at a school staff member while swinging his arms, ultimately punching the staff member in the shoulder. The staff member then detained the student and held him until deputies were able to handcuff and arrest him. The student, later identified as a 17-year-old, was arrested for felony Battery on a School Official.
At the same time, another school administrator was attempting to escort a student away from the fight, when another male student ran up to the administrator and grabbed them. The student then battered the administrator before being taken to the Dean’s Office. The student, later identified as a 17-year-old, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct and felony Battery on a School Official.
Charging affidavits were filed with the State Attorney’s Office on the seven other students involved in the fight for misdemeanors, including Breach of Peace and Disturbance of a School Function. Parents were notified of the incident by Matanzas High School staff.
“The lack of respect demonstrated by these students is simply shameful,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “But actions have consequences. Parents, be the sheriff in your home and teach your kids the importance of respecting teachers, staff, and deputies. Teach them how to handle disagreements and that fighting only leads to more violence. We have a zero-tolerance policy for violence at schools, and you will be arrested. I also commend our school resource deputies and the Matanzas High School staff for quickly getting a very volatile situation under control before anyone was seriously hurt.”
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore added, “I agree with what our Sheriff has said in the past; this type of behavior is not to be tolerated by anyone. That said, these actions are not indicative of the thousands of students who come to our campuses each and every day to learn. There are so many students, teachers, administrators, and staff who work every day to promote and celebrate a positive school culture at their schools. This is an opportunity for our parents and guardians to reinforce the good choices their children decide to make and remind them why it is important to be successful in life.”
All Flagler County Schools have school resource deputies assigned to each campus, and the high schools have two deputies each.
