Groveport Messenger - February 12th, 2023

PAGE 2 - GROVEPORT MESSENGER - February 12, 2023
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By Rick Palsgrove
Groveport Editor
A fight recently erupted among four students at
Groveport Madison High School.
According to the Groveport Police, around 12:30
p.m. on Jan. 30, the Police School Resource Officer
made an emergency radio call for officer assistance
due to a fight at the school. The officer used pepper
spray to stop the fighting and disperse what police
described as an “unruly crowd” that was gathering to
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Charges filed after fight at the high school
watch/participate. Police officers from Groveport,
Madison Township, and Franklin County Sheriff’s
Office, remained on scene to address any possible following
incidents.
Groveport Police Lt. Josh Short said four students
“were actively engaged in fighting.”
“One of the male students had (allegedly) initially
assaulted one of the other male students in the rotunda
area of the high school for reasons unknown at this
time,” said Short. “School staff broke up that incident
and were bringing both of those students to
the office. While both students were being
taken to the office, two other students
(allegedly) attacked the student who had
(allegedly) assaulted the first student. The
student who was originally assaulted then
broke free from school staff and ran back to
engage in fighting with the other three.
This occurred on the middle landing and
stairs of the main stairway in the cafeteria
area.”
Short said the pepper spay was deployed
at the fighting students because they were
refusing to stop fighting.
“They were endangering school staff and
the SRO as they continued to fight wildly
with each other and against staff that was
trying to stop them,” said Short. “One of
the security officers was shoved up against
the stair railing and was in danger of being
toppled over. We know that the sooner we
can stop the fighting the less likely it is
that someone will get hurt.”
Short said officers know from experience
they need to stop the fighting quickly or
other students will run to and encourage or
join in the fighting, which makes it difficult
for staff to intervene by refusing to disperse
or actively blocking or pushing at them.
“The quick use of the pepper spray
immediately stopped the fighting and dissuaded
any other students from approaching,”
said Short.
He said there were no injuries observed
or reported due to the assault or fighting.
The students affected by the pepper spray
were checked out by the school nurse and
Columbus Fire Department medics.
“All four students are being charged
with aggravated rioting,” said Short.
“Additional charges may follow with the
continuing investigation and video evidence
review.”
Short said officers want the community
to know that the Franklin County Juvenile
system makes if difficult to arrest and jail a
minor.
“Despite what the police or the public
thinks is appropriate in disruptive and violent
situations like this, we are not regularly
able to jail a student for these types of
actions,” said Short. “The juvenile detention
facility in Franklin County has a strict
and narrow list for jailable offenses and
most of the occurrences at the high school
do not apply.”
Southeast Library
The Southeast Branch of the Columbus
Metropolitan Library is located at 3980 S.
Hamilton Road, Groveport. Visit
www.columbuslibrary.org or call 614-645-
2275.