DETROIT – A brawl between school security and a 17-year-old student was captured on video in Detroit. The troubling video showed the violent altercation with other kids and staff members trying to break it up.
Officials say the school security guard was arrested and placed on administrative leave after placing an MMA-style chokehold on the student.
The mother of the 17-year-old wonders why a grown man would put a teenager in a headlock.
“I got the call before I saw the video,” said Ashley Johnson. “I got the call that the ambulance was being called to the school, and my son was hurt. It was dramatic.”
Johnson says she recognized her 17-year-old son in the triangle lock that the security guard at Northwestern High School was applying as most of the incident was captured on cell phone video.
“He’s been to the hospital, but he’s hanging in there,” Johnson said. “He’s just in pain. Of course, he’s feeling a little embarrassed because the video is getting passed around or whatever. But I just try to encourage him that it’s for awareness. Stuff like that needs not to happen.”
The incident is currently under investigation, but Johnson says her son was attacked after words were exchanged between him and the officer. But she says no matter what, it shouldn’t have escalated to this point.
“It’s a certain way as a professional that you should handle students,” Johnson said. “You’re not a child. You’re an adult.”
Johnson says the altercation started some time ago.
“It stemmed from weeks ago only because the security guard threatened him and made a statement to him that ‘If we were on the street, things would be handled differently,’” Jackson said.
To make matters worse, she says her son was told to write an incident report but wasn’t notified herself of what took place.
“I’m assuming they’re connected because now, he said things would be happening differently if I’m on the street, but how things have happened differently at the school,” Johnson said.
“There was an altercation between a student and security guard at Northwestern today that led to the security guard being placed in custody. The security guard will not be returning to the school and will be on administrative leave pending the district’s investigation that may lead to termination.”
DPSCD
“I want him to be fired,” Johnson said. “I want him to be prosecuted or contacted by a prosecutor. So we are moving forward to pressing charges, and I just want to make it safer for all kids.”
Johnson says she has been in contact with lawyers on the matter.