Police responded to a series of fights between northern and
southern street gang affiliates at Live Oak High School, and will
have extra patrols on the streets to prevent any off-campus fallout
over the weekend.
Police responded to a series of fights between northern and southern street gang affiliates at Live Oak High School, and will have extra patrols on the streets to prevent any off-campus fallout over the weekend.
School staff called police about 12:50 p.m. Friday to report a fight in the school’s outdoor quad area. Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Shane Palsgrove said seven students – five males and two females – were cited for charges related to fighting and disrupting the school. Two of the males are accused of being involved in a physical fight, and the rest were cited for “yelling or encouraging the fight.” All those cited were juveniles.
The fights were “between north and south,” Palsgrove said, indicating at least some of those cited were gang members.
Police think at least 10 students were involved in the scuffle, and are still trying to identify the other three.
Some of the fighters suffered minor injuries, but no one required medical treatment. No weapons were involved, according to Palsgrove.
One officer who was not authorized to speak to the media said when he arrived he saw two female students “squaring off” in a verbal altercation.
A female student in front of the school, who did not appear to have been involved in the fighting, said about 2:45 p.m. she heard the disruptions included “four fights and some firecrackers.”
Other students said no fights occurred, but they heard of threats of fighting earlier in the day.
A 15-year-old male student, David Camargo, said a fight between two “gangsters” happened in the lunch line. He was standing near the fight when it happened, and stopped a fellow student who attempted to join in.
Another student was cited for possession of marijuana, but that student was not involved in the fighting, Palsgrove said.
Principal Nick Boden referred questions to the Morgan Hill Unified School District main office.
He repeatedly intervened when a Times reporter attempted to talk to students, and said the media was not allowed to speak with students.
Up to seven officers remained on campus, with their patrol cars parked out front, until school got out about 3:15 p.m.
Police are concerned that the violence will spill off-campus over the weekend. Not only will extra patrols be out in Morgan Hill throughout the weekend, but the department also has officers on standby, Palsgrove said.
