Photo by Mr. T in DC
A brawl last Friday afternoon at the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station stemmed from a feud between groups of students from two D.C. high schools. The fight, which was videotaped and uploaded on YouTube, erupted about 4 p.m. when students were headed home for the day.
Students from McKinley Technical High School and Woodrow Wilson High School were involved, D.C. Public Schools spokeswoman Melissa Salmanowitz tells DCist.
According to WTTG, which first reported the fight, Metro authorities dispatched additional officers to the station that afternoon after being told of a potential for violence between groups of youths:
Metro Transit Police hold daily conference calls with officers from D.C. police and school resources police, and officials say they were aware of the potential for violence.
“There was a conference call on Friday prior to this fight at Gallery Place where we were advised and we actually had additional officers at Gallery Place when the fight broke out,” says Metro spokesperson Dan Stessel.
No major injuries were reported in the fight, though six people were arrested. And even with the expanded police presence, officers still had to call in for more backup.
Fallout from the brawl is being handled by Metro Transit Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and DCPS.
UPDATE, 12:29 p.m.: In a statement, the principals of McKinley Tech and Wilson say student leaders at both schools are working out a solution that will include some sort of community service project.
“McKinley Tech and Wilson High are incredible schools with storied histories,” McKinley Tech’s David Pinder and Wilson’s Pete Cahall say. “Our student government representatives from both schools will be meeting soon to bring this matter to a peaceful resolution and to work on a collaborative community service project to enhance our partnership. As this process takes its course the administrative teams at both schools are working collectively with our MPD and Metro partners, DCPS and district support teams to ensure that students are safe travelling to and from school and that those students who initiated the conflict are held accountable.”
