Oklahoma City police have arrested five Capitol Hill High School students after a videotaped fight between students was posted on social media.
The video shows a student falling to the ground after a punch, followed by others stomping on him as he lay comatose. A large crowd has gathered around the students in the outdoor common area.
Watch video of the altercation. WARNING: Some readers may find the content and language disturbing.
Oklahoma City Police Capt. Paco Balderrama told The Oklahoman 16-year-old Jalen Hooks was arrested on a felony aggravated assault case:
Police identified him as the student seen kicking the victim in the face. The second student seen in the video, who police did not identify, faces a misdemeanor assault complaint and was identified as the student who punched the victim. Channing Caldwell, 17, and Juan Reyes, 17, were arrested on felony complaints of threatening acts of violence. Police said Caldwell made verbal threats toward a teacher, and Reyes used social media to threaten the school and teachers. Balderrama said two teachers were assaulted while trying to stop the altercation captured on video. The student who was attacked was not hospitalized.
That student, identified by KFOR-TV as Hugo Marquez, was suspended until the end of May. He said he may have to attend alternative school to graduate:
“I was shocked. I was surprised. I didn’t know that’s exactly what happened. Because, well …it wasn’t my problem,” said Marquez. Not his problem because Hugo says he was stepping up for a friend. “I went up just in case you know. I really didn’t expect it to come down to me,” he said.
Oklahoma City Public Schools spokesman Mark Myers said police were called immediately.
@OKCPS statement regarding student altercations at Capitol Hill High School on January 12, 2016. pic.twitter.com/uTHAQWTiW1
— OKC Public Schools (@OKCPS) January 13, 2016
Balderrama told The Daily Mail Online the fight may have begun as part of a gang dispute:
'We have information leading us to believe the people arrested have gang affiliations,' Captain Paco Balderrama of the Oklahoma City police department said. The captain said the five jailed students are believed to be members of two separate gangs.
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