Parent brawl breaks out during kindergarten graduation

 

 

June 23, 2010 2:03 PM

Beatriz Valenzuela

Daily Press

 

VICTORVILLE • School officials placed Puesta del Sol Elementary on lockdown after a group of parents got into a fight during a kindergarten graduation ceremony Wednesday morning, officials said.

“According to witness statements, it appears a few parents went over to a field away from the actual ceremony to discuss something when the alleged fight broke out,” Karen Hunt, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Victorville station, said.

Hunt confirmed the school was placed on lockdown but couldn’t say if there was a physical confrontation. She said no one was arrested.

“When deputies arrived, they didn’t observe anyone physically fighting,” Hunt stated. “We did receive reports some people did become physical but we also heard it remained only a verbal confrontation. Also no one at the scene came forward as a victim.”

No children were hurt in the incident and no one required medical attention.

According to a witness, several mothers were involved in a verbal argument which turned physical in a field near the ceremony. At that point, several men jumped in, turning the incident into a brawl. The witness also stated someone involved in the fight possibly had a weapon.

 

 

UPDATED STORY

 

Two arrested, 20 ID'd in kindergarten brawl

 

Melee draw attention from national media

June 25, 2010 9:49 AM

DAVID KECK

Special to the Daily Press

 

VICTORVILLE • Two adults were arrested and up to 20 people have now been identified in a Wednesday brawl among parents during a kindergarten graduation ceremony at Puesta Del Sol Elementary School, a school district official said.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested two women Thursday in connection with the fight, which stopped Wednesday’s graduation ceremony and put the school at 15887 Academy Street on lockdown. No parents were allowed on campus for the sixth grade graduation assembly on Thursday.

More arrests could come, Maureen Mills, assistant superintendent for Educational Services for the Victor Elementary School District, said.

“We’re looking at whatever we can do to hold those people accountable,” Mills said. “We cannot control the parents’ behavior. The staff handled it in a very professional way and we will move forward.”

The cause of the fight was still under investigation by school resource officers and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies. The fight ended up in a nearby field, and the participants fled before deputies arrived, a sheriff’s news release stated.

Witnesses called a sheriff’s department tip line overnight Thursday to report the identities of some of the people involved in the fight, leading to Thursday’s arrests of Marina Vargas, 29, of Hesperia and Queiona Burt, 31, of Victorville, the news release stated.