18 Proviso West Students Arrested, Suspended Over School Brawls
HILLSIDE, Ill. (CBS) -- Eighteen students at Proviso West High School have been suspended, following fights at the school this week.
CBS 2's Chris Martinez reports the first fight happened inside Proviso West's lunchroom on Monday. Hillside police arrested 15 students, all of them taken out of the school in handcuffs.
"When it becomes 14, 15 people, it has the potential of getting out of control," Hillside Police Chief Joseph Lukaszek said.
The chief said, despite rumors of gang violence, Monday's brawl yielded no weapons, and resulted in no injuries.
But it wasn't the end. The very next day, another fight ended with three more students arrested.
One mother of two Proviso West students said she is "very, very scared" for her children.
She asked not to be identified, fearing her sons could be targeted.
Several fights at the school during the past two months have been captured on cell phone video and posted on YouTube.
On Wednesday, the district said in a written statement, "The school is safe and it remains safe."
The school said there were no incidents on Wednesday.
Those words were not enough to ease this mother's mind.
"My concern is just the safety of the children, with anybody being able to get inside of the building, and just something really drastic happening before they do something," she said.
According to the district, all 18 students involved in the fights this week were suspended and face possible expulsion.
