38°
“There are between five to 10 students involved [in Tuesday’s melee], most of them 18 years old,” Deputy Police Chief Gregory Halstead said Wednesday.
“As we move forward, aggressors who have been positively identified will be charged in all likelihood with disorderly conduct,” he said.
“We are looking at charging at least one with defiant trespass, as he was told the previous day not to return to the school for the day due to an incident the day prior,” the deputy chief said. “He did anyway, for the sole purpose of engaging in the fight.
“The fight, from what we are being led to believe right now, started with two students. Then friends from respective sides joined in.”
Chief Lawrence Suffern thanked residents for “the outpouring of information and support we have received relative to the recent spate of fights and disturbances we are experiencing in our schools.
“Intel from our community to date has led to the identification of most, if not all, of the combatants in [Tuesday’s] altercation and has assisted in the meting out of appropriate disciplinary charges from the school and criminal charges where appropriate,” the chief said.
“The police department and school officials deem the cooperation received from the community, an invaluable tool in keeping our schools safe for our children and fostering an environment conducive to learning,” he added. “It is our pleasure to continue in this partnership.”
Some students were told not to return for at least a day following the brawl that was quickly broken up by school security and staff, police said.
A boy was treated at the school for a minor eye injury following the 1 p.m. incident in the school's south building, Halstead said.
Members of the Englewood Police Youth Services Division were continuing their investigation.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mahwah-Ramsey and receive free news updates.
