CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Charlottetown police expect to lay charges in connection with a brawl that broke out Tuesday morning in the parking lot at Colonel Gray High School.
Charlottetown Police Services, as well as staff with the school and the Public Schools Branch, is in the midst of an investigation into the incident that involved several students. However, no one would comment on how many students were involved.
“We are actively involved in an investigation because we view the school grounds as a public place,’’ said Const. Tim Keizer, who also acts as the school’s resource officer.
Both high schools in the city have a dedicated police officer. Keizer said he had another commitment through the police department Tuesday morning and wasn’t on scene when the brawl took place.
“No arrests were made . . . because a lot of the students had (left) the premises by the time I was on scene. Other police units did respond to the school and that was done just as a security precaution. We didn’t want anything to flare up again.’’
Keizer said the brawl broke out before classes began while Dominique Lecours, the school’s principal, said it lasted about 30 seconds.
“The conflict was started very quickly and ended very quickly,’’ Lecours said, noting that there were three staff members on supervision duty in the parking lot when the fight broke out.
Lecours and police have also been combing over video that was taken of the incident by a number of students.
Keizer said some students involved in the altercation will be charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act while others will be subject to diversionary measures, meaning they would either deal with Jane Wood, the justice youth worker who works out of the police department, go through probationary services or be required to do community service work.
“We take all of these types of events very, very seriously because it’s not something we want to have continue,’’ Keizer said. “We have to set a precedent so that, right across the Island, this isn’t something that students feel is acceptable.’’
Lecours said some of the students involved in the brawl have been suspended for three to five days. The Public Schools Branch said students were taken home by police and school staff and follow-up suspension letters are being sent home.
“We just need some time to gather the information and also kind of settle things down a bit,’’ the principal said. “What’s more important right now is that we need to focus and spend our time and energy on the re-entry plan and how we support students and how we get back on track for the students who were involved in the incident.’’
Lecours added the incident is a concerning one for parents of the students involved, parents in the neighbourhood and the student body.
“We can look at this as an opportunity to educate students,’’ she said.
School staff and student services staff from the Public Schools Branch will be meeting with students and their families before the students return to school.
