By Kristen Munson and Lori Stuenkel – Staff Writers
Gilroy
– Gang violence erupted on the Gilroy High School campus Friday
afternoon, touching off a string of fights that involved as many as
50 students.
At least 12 students were directly involved in the gang-related
violence, about 10 were suspended, and three boys and two girls
were arrested.
By Kristen Munson and Lori Stuenkel – Staff Writers
Gilroy – Gang violence erupted on the Gilroy High School campus Friday afternoon, touching off a string of fights that involved as many as 50 students.
At least 12 students were directly involved in the gang-related violence, about 10 were suspended, and three boys and two girls were arrested. A number of the students may be recommended for expulsion, and additional arrests and suspensions may follow, school officials said.
Injuries were limited to minor cuts and scrapes, said Roger Cornia, Gilroy Unified School District school safety officer. No weapons were used in the four separate fights that broke out in three different areas of the GHS campus in rapid succession at lunchtime.
“Toward the end of the year, tensions tend to run high,” said Sgt. John Sheedy of the Gilroy Police Department. “At lunchtime, these kids just got totally out of hand at the high school. They were not taking direction from staff, and just uncontrollable, and, quite frankly, disappointing to watch.”
By their own accounts, some of the students were cussing at campus supervisors and police, and one girl spit on a supervisor.
The four students arrested were: Isabel Fregoso, 14, for fighting; Monique Fregoso, 16, for assaulting a police officer; one 15- and one 16-year-old boy for obstruction of justice; and a 17-year-old boy on unknown charges. Monique Fregoso was transported to juvenile hall Friday afternoon.
The names of the boys are not being released because they are juveniles; the Fregoso family was willing to speak to The Dispatch.
Some of those involved said it wasn’t coincidence that the activity broke out on Friday the 13th, because gangs associating with Sureños identify with the number 13. Also, police in Morgan Hill had received information that an incident might take place because it was the 13th.
“We did hear some comments that that may have had some play in it,” Sheedy said.
The mother of one boy who received a five-day suspension for his involvement confirmed that the incidents stemmed from the date.
“Today is Friday the 13th,” Dolores Perez said. “That is the Sureños’ side. That’s their number and that’s why they did this.”
Gangs that identify as Sureño are associated with Mexican nationals, the color blue and the number 13. Norteños are associated with Northern California, the color red and the number 14.
The first three arrests occurred after a fight in which school officials believe Perez’s son, Ruben Prado, 17, was an instigator. He and a group of friends exchanged words with another group of students near the main quad before the first fight broke out just after 12pm, during lunch when all 2,400 students are outdoors on campus. Prado claimed he was chased by a group of Sureño students and ran to his friends for help.
Prado said he was targeted after a scuffle two weeks ago on campus during the Cinco de Mayo celebration. “They were talking all kinds of smack to my friend,” he said.
Supervisors intercepted quickly, and Monique Fregoso, one 15-year-old and one 17-year-old juvenile male were later arrested. As an officer was attempting to place one of the boys in custody, Fregoso jumped on the officer’s back, Sheedy said.
The fourth arrest took place shortly afterward, outside the gymnasium. Freshman Isabel Fregoso was present for the first fight, and was walking on the west side of the gym when she said she saw a group of Sureño-associated students and exchanged words with them. After one boy threw a binder at her, she began fighting, she said. The fight involved four or five people, she said.
Sgt. Sheedy said Fregoso was “swinging wildly at anyone she thought was a Sureño.”
Fregoso said she spit on a campus supervisor who tried to detain her, then eluded Assistant Principal Mani Corzo, before being arrested by Sgt. Sheedy. She was the only student arrested for fighting, and she said she expects to be expelled.
Fregoso said she is not associated with a gang, although she acknowledged that she is friends with Norteño-associated students and is disliked by Sureños, whom she calls by a derogatory name.
The fifth arrest, a 16-year-old boy, was made by the GPD gang unit Anti-Crime Team after school, just off campus.
“He was walking down the street trying to pick fights with other individuals,” Sheedy said.
The arrested students, plus five others, received the maximum five-day suspension. Should any suspended students come on or near the GHS campus during the next week, they will be arrested for trespassing, Bravo said.
The school was in virtual lockdown after the fights were contained. Students were not allowed to leave the buildings. One teacher located in the auxiliary gymnasium cautioned students, “Stay away from the doors and windows.”
Additional district and police officials were called to the campus before dismissal to ensure a peaceful release of students.
“We brought in a large contingency of police presence to be on hand for the end of school, and things wound down rather quickly,” Sheedy said.
GPD officers from the day shift were joined by ACT members and swing shift officers who started their day early, plus eight California Highway Patrol officers and a Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputy. A CHP plane that happened to be in the area circled the campus.
For the rest of the year a full-time police officer will be present at the GHS campus, Cornia said. Despite the day’s activity he insisted that all students were safe on the campus the entire time, and that the police response was a cautious reaction.
“We want the other kids to know they are safe,” Bravo said.
Perez, Prado’s mother, claimed that Assistant Principal Greg Camacho-Light used unnecessary force when escorting Prado to the discipline office. “He put his hands on my son, pushed him and shoved him,” she claimed.
But the school report tells a different story.
It states that Prado was the instigator of Friday’s fights, and quoted as yelling to counselors when they came, “F— this s—!” And threatening the other students saying, “This isn’t over!”
Perez said Monique Fregoso was punched and kicked in the ribs by Gilroy police while in the GHS discipline office.
“Nobody was manhandled,” Cornia said. “Nobody’s rights were violated.”
Sgt. Sheedy and GHS Principal Bob Bravo confirmed Cornia’s statement.
“I don’t think any staff member or police officer acted inappropriately,” Bravo said.
One student, who refused to give his name and was escorted off campus by his mother, claimed an officer grabbed his face and shook it while yelling at him.
“These cops are acting all bad because they can,” Perez said.
“They always say, ‘No blue, no red.’ But they let (the Sureños) wear blue because they’re school colors. Does he look gang related to you?” she asked gesturing to Prado. He wore a Scarface T-shirt and white tennis shoes with red laces.
As Prado was escorted off campus by his mother and family members, he stared as about 15 male students were taken into the discipline office by school officials.
Perez stood in front of him saying, “Don’t look at them. Don’t give them a reason.” He continued to stare down the group of boys who laughed at him from across the parking lot.
