Posted on April 19, 2005

Another Brawl at Jefferson High Ends in 2 Arrests, a Broken Hip

Nicholas Shields, Los Angeles Times, Apr. 19

Two Jefferson High School students were arrested and another broke his hip Monday in the second melee on the campus in less than a week, authorities said.

More than 100 black and Latino students were involved in what administrators say was a racially and gang-motivated brawl. Officials said school police used pepper spray to defend themselves and quell the melee.

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Kerstein said six students were detained and two were arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer. He said students tossed rocks at officers and one student broke his hip as he attempted to flee police.

Officials said 16 school and LAPD officers had been on campus since the brawl Thursday, which also involved about 100 black and Latino students. School administrators had been reluctant then to label the fight as being racially motivated but now acknowledge that racial tensions on the campus played a role.

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