Heavy Police Presence at High School

LONG BEACH -- There was a heavy presence today at Jordan High School in Long Beach following a fight that involved about 20 students and resulted in two arrests, authorities said.

One student said the fight broke out along racial lines, with black and Samoan students aligned against Latinos.

The fight erupted about 12:30 p.m. yesterday in the school's quad area, where about 200 students were eating lunch and mingling, Chris Eftychiou of the Long Beach Unified School District told the Press-Telegram.

Witnesses said about 20 male and female students were involved in the fight, which apparently began after someone tossed a plastic soda bottle.

"Someone said someone threw a bottle and it was on after that," Long Beach police Officer Jackie Bezart told the Press-Telegram.

More than a dozen Long Beach police cruisers were dispatched to the school to help campus security personnel quell the incident, and two students were arrested, Bezart said. The charges were not immediately announced.

Additional arrests are possible and school officials are considering expelling those involved, authorities said.

"All of the sudden, everyone is rushing out there and there's a riot going down," student Jesus Robledo told the Press-Telegram, saying those involved were split along racial lines.

"The cops broke it up, and then it would start back up again by the handicapped building. They finally got it under control and let everybody go before sixth period started."

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•