Police break up several fights after sporting event at Park Center High School
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — Two days after an assault at Robbinsdale Cooper High School, police are investigating a fight that broke out at Park Center High School.
Unlike the Cooper incident, no one was seriously hurt during Thursday night's fight, but pepper spray was used to break up the altercation.
"It was, I think, a little bit chaotic. Especially for folks that were present at the game," said Elliot Faust, deputy chief of Brooklyn Park police.
Minutes after the Park Center-Osseo boys basketball game ended Thursday night, groups of teenagers and young adults began fighting in the school parking lot.
"It's not something that hasn't happened before, let's just put it that way. But it's not the desired way we'd like to conclude those basketball games, of course," said Faust.
Faust said an officer had to use a small amount of pepper spray to break up one of the fights and a boy involved was briefly detained by police before being released to his parents.
Along with Brooklyn Park police, Maple Grove officers and a Park Center school resource officer were also on scene providing security before the fight broke out.
"It's not acceptable and we will certainly make sure we take steps to prevent that in the future," said Faust.
Faust believes the fight is unrelated to what happened a few miles away at Robbinsdale Cooper High School. On Tuesday night, a 17-year-old Fridley basketball player was attacked by a group of teenagers while he was sitting on the visitor's bench at Cooper. He was hit on the head with a tire iron, beaten and almost stabbed. Staples were needed to close his head wound. The Cooper-Fridley game was canceled and five people have since been arrested and charged for their alleged roles in the attack.
"Schools are our most sacred places where our children should be safe. They should have a safe environment to learn. We want to foster positive energy, foster success. That's the mission of everybody involved in raising children in general," said Faust.
Faust says Brooklyn Park police will continue to work with neighboring schools, and review best strategies for preventing fights during and after sporting events.
