Police in Florida have charged five teenagers with felony battery following a “physical altercation” at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
On Friday, the Coral Springs Police Department announced the acquisition of arrest affidavits for five teens, aged 15 to 17, involved in the December 12 incident. As of December 15, four of the teens were already in custody.
On December 12, officers responded to reports of a fight near the high school student parking lot around 3 p.m. local time. The department reported that a student was transported to the hospital with “non-life threatening injuries” at that time.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that video footage revealed a group of teens ambushing an 18-year-old student in the parking lot. The student was lifted into the air, slammed on the ground, and subjected to punches and kicks from multiple individuals.
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Witnesses stated that the altercation started when the victim was initially punched in the face, and others were then encouraged to join in, according to the newspaper.
Four of the teens were recognized as students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a 2018 shooting resulted in the tragic death of 17 individuals. Another teen was identified as a student at Coral Glades High School.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the police mentioned that they were actively working to identify “an additional suspect” involved in the incident.
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“The safety of our community and schools remains our top priority. Daily, we have approximately 50 officers from multiple specialized units assigned to patrol areas around schools during dismissal.
In this incident, we did have two patrol officers around North Community Park during dismissal time. This continues to be an ongoing investigation where additional arrests may be forthcoming,” the police department said. “We want to assure the public that such behavior will not be tolerated in the City of Coral Springs.”
In Florida, felony battery is classified as a third-degree felony, carrying a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison. Facebook users reacted to the Coral Springs Police post with diverse responses.
One user asserted, “Kids who fight in a pack against one should be charged with a harsher offense with more severe consequences. A group attack is very different from a one-on-one fight.”
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Another user emphasized accountability, stating, “If we do not hold any teen accountable, this will not stop! There is no fear in any teen today about following any kind of morals! Until we all get together and demand holding people accountable for the things they do, this will only continue.”
Another user expressed skepticism about the justice system and commented, “There is hate. Unfortunately, there are judges acting like gods, crime waves without consequence, and no justice for victims. We allowed this to happen on our watch. Shame on us for not paying attention to who we elect.”
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