Ebony Charmaine Russell
An officer who responded to a melee inside Brainerd High School late Wednesday morning said, "It was mayhem."
And on Friday a Brainerd High student was arrested for bringing a gun to school. The incident happened after school dismissed, but it was on school grounds.
The student had not been to school, but was arriving for an evening class. The school's SRO and assistant principal went over as a crowd of students gathered around him. He pulled out the gun, then dropped it. The gun was confiscated and the student was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center.
He was charged with possession of a firearm on school property, two counts of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.
Afterward, the Tyner-Brainerd basketball game was called off. It is due to be reset for January.
The officer in the Wednesday incident said three sisters had made their way into the school after getting a call from a younger sister concerning some other females wanting to fight.
The officer said the sisters "all came to the school and were let in at the front door. They did not have authorization to enter the hallways of Brainerd High School."
He said when he arrived a large fight had broken out involving the sisters and a number of students. He said, "The principal, faculty, staff and I were all attempting to break this large fight up. Punches were being thrown. People were screaming and cussing. The school learning environment was disrupted."
He added, "They were fighting all over the place. I called for backup."
The officer said, "The fight was intense. I shouted out verbal commands to the crowd to back up and i started to shove the fighters off each other. They continued to fight -fighting through myself, the principal and all who were trying to break it up."
He said he deployed his pepper spray and sprayed the fighters. He said an 18-year-old, Talaya Parish, was pulled out of the fight. He said she proceeded to "square up with me as if she wanted to fight me." He said Ms. Parish, who was on the opposite side as the sister, is a previous Brainerd High student and was not suppose to be at the school.
He said he sprayed Ms. Parish with pepper spray and she went down to the floor. She was later transported to the hospital. The officer said she would be arrested in the case.
The officer said a 16-year-old sister "was out of control and was still trying to fight." He said he had to pepper spray her. He said she had been suspended from Brainerd High and was not suppose to be on campus.
He said another sister, 26-year-old Ebony Charmaine Russell, was taken into custody without having to be sprayed. She was arrested for disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.