What the Guam Department of Education described as a “potential riot” at the John F. Kennedy High School campus spurred the campus to initiate security procedures to address the incident.
Hundreds of JFK students were dismissed after undergoing a campus lockdown following a report of a potential riot Thursday morning at 11:40 a.m.
A video recorded at the time of the incident depicts a student on a table hitting another student in their campus cafeteria, causing their peers to distance themselves from the incident in alarm.
The altercation then escalated, with several students breaking off to engage in separate fights throwing both food as well as fists.
Although school officials attempted to calm the incident and pull students away from the dispute, some of the students continued to react aggressively to those in their vicinity.
According to Isa Baza, the public information officer of the Guam Department of Education, the high school campus underwent a lockdown in response to the potential riot.
In addition, officers from the Guam Police Department as well as GDOE School Resource Officers from other school campuses were dispatched to assist with the situation.
Although the scuffle was cause for some alarm, the students were released at their regular dismissal time of 1:45 p.m.
Baza adds that no serious injuries were reported as a result of the riot and that two students were taken into custody by authorities.
In addition, Baza provided a statement from GDOE Superintendent Jon Fernandez, which reads that the department is grateful for the swift response from the police department as well as school personnel in neutralizing the situation.
He says that GDOE will ensure that there are appropriate consequences for all involved in today’s incident.
Sgt. Paul Tapao, GPD spokesperson, says the police department is working with school officials to address the issue.
Baza also adds that no further details will be released as the authorities are currently investigating the details of the riot.
(with contributing reports by Louella Losinio and Jolene Toves)
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