Mount Vernon Mayor Defends Surprise Visit With Rapper Fatboy SSE, School Officials Plan To Sue Over Melee
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Officials in a Westchester County school are condemning a surprise visit by an internet celebrity and the city's mayor last week that led to student fights, broken windows and a smashed glass trophy case, and legal action to pay for damages may come next.
On Friday, Mayor Richard Thomas escorted rapper and comedian Fatboy SSE around town as an honorary "Mayor For The Day" before dropping in at Mount Vernon High School. The 25-year-old celebrity, whose real name is Tyriq Thomas Kimbrough, was an immediate hit with students - so much so they mobbed the star and his entourage, who had not cleared advance notice to the school before the visit.
The mayhem escalated when Fatboy began throwing money around the school, causing a mad dash to grab the cash and leaving classes in chaos. Officials said between 300 to 400 students were involved in the melee, resulting in seven suspensions and one arrest for assaulting a security officer.
More disciplinary action may be taken against students.
Fatboy, a native of Irvington, N.J., has more than 5 million followers on Instagram and has appeared with Nicki Minaj, Mount Vernon native Sean "Diddy" Combs, and rapper 50 Cent.
On Tuesday, school officials claimed the incident did extensive damage to school property and disrupted midterm exams, even after Fat Boy and his group were told to leave the school. The Board of Education passed a resolution promising to pursue legal action against Thomas, Kimbrough, and "any other individuals and/or entities responsible" for the incident.
The mayor issued a statement apologizing for the unannounced school visit.
"In keeping with past practice, efforts were made to clear the visit in advance," he said. "The day before the event, my staff and I made a visit to Mount Vernon High School to meet with the principal and work out logistics; however, the principal was not available. Nonetheless I accept responsibility."
Tuesday night, the mayor had a much different tone during a press conference to discuss the incident. Sitting with Fatboy SSE, Thomas claimed to not know the violent melee had occurred until days later. The mayor and rapper also pointed to a video appearing to show absolutely no violence at the school while the two were present.
WEB EXTRA - See Fatboy SSE And Mayor Thomas Address The Violence At Mount Vernon High School Here:
Fatboy also issued a statement after the incident at the school.
"We just want to help the youth," he said. "They are our future doctors, future mayors, and we must teach them to win. They need to know right now that they can win. They can hustle. They can work hard. They can make it! Thank you Mount Vernon for the love."