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On Friday, a violent altercation at a Florida high school led to the arrest of six students and left one student with serious injuries.
Ryan Shurley, the principal of North Port High School, addressed parents through an open letter shared on the school’s Facebook page. While he refrained from detailing the incident, Shurley mentioned that further arrests could occur as the situation unfolds.
In his communication, Shurley stated, “Significant disciplinary measures are being taken, and several students involved will not be returning to North Port High School.”
The North Port Police informed the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that the injured student has since been discharged from the hospital. Meanwhile, authorities confirmed to the Port Charlotte Daily Sun that the brawl took place in a boys’ bathroom.
A video that briefly circulated on social media, before being taken down, reportedly showed at least eight male students in the fight, according to the Sun. The footage captured one participant instructing others to “not let anybody in” as a group directed insults at a lone student. The group was seen kicking and punching him, with one student eventually placing him in a headlock and demanding he “get up.”
“Let me be clear: intentional violence towards others will never be tolerated at North Port High School,” Shurley said in his lengthy Facebook post. “There are no exceptions. When behavior rises to criminal conduct, law enforcement will be involved immediately, every time.
“Fighting, encouraging fights, filming altercations, or escalating conflicts directly contradicts the positive culture we are building. This behavior threatens the safety of our school and will not be normalized. When students choose to surround themselves with this type of behavior by promoting it, recording it, or remaining in the middle of it signals acceptance. That choice can be just as damaging and can carry serious ramifications.”
Shurley called on parents to speak with their children and “make it clear that who they align themselves with matters.
“Poor decisions made in moments of emotion or choosing loyalty to the wrong crowd can carry lifelong consequences. Protecting their future requires courage and decisive action, not silence and not spectatorship.”
He also urged any student who feels unsafe at school to report it to an adult.
“We will intervene,” he said. We will enforce our Code of Conduct without hesitation.