Police responded for a second time in three days to large-scale fighting in separate Minneapolis school gyms during basketball games.
Police respond for 2nd time in 3 days to fights in Minneapolis school gyms during basketball games
Witnesses estimated that "up to 200 adults and children were involved" in the latest fight, a police statement read.
January 11, 2024 at 8:33PM
The latest incident occurred about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Sullivan STEAM Magnet School at 3100 E. 28th St., police said.
"A fight started in the school's gymnasium after a middle-school basketball game and then spilled into the streets," a statement from police read.
Witnesses estimated that "up to 200 adults and children were involved in the fight," the statement continued.
Officers broke up the fights and demanded that people in the area leave, police said. There were no injuries, and no arrests were made, police added.
The school district released a statement that gave credit to "our security plan" for the lack of anyone being hurt.
On Tuesday, a girls basketball game at Minneapolis North High School vs. Minneapolis Patrick Henry was called off after players on each team got into a fight that soon led to fans joining in, police and district officials said.
District spokeswoman M.A. Rosko said the altercation occurred with minutes remaining in the game.
"Play was suspended, and security personnel responded immediately to the incident," Rosko said. A game sheet submitted to the Star Tribune lists North winning the game 41-39.
The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) will investigate the incident and issue an official report of its findings, she said.
Rosko said the two schools were "collaborating to work with district leadership and the MSHSL to bring students from both teams together. We are working to repair any harm done to our school communities or the North Side community."
A police incident report noted that as staff was trying to get the gym cleared, "fans started joining in" the fight. Police did not reveal the circumstances that prompted the altercation. No injuries were reported, and no arrests were made.
Once people left the gym, "over 100 [were] in the parking lot, still no longer fighting," and police kept close watch out of concern they were "about to start up again," the report continued. However, school staff cleared everyone out without further trouble, the report noted.
The district said it intends to take proper disciplinary steps concerning both incidents based on its policies.
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