Police in York Region are seeking witnesses after a parent got involved in a violent fight between students from high schools in Aurora and Richmond Hill.
York Regional Police said the altercation, which can be seen in two videos shared on social media, occurred on Friday around 3 p.m. near Briar Nine Park in Oak Ridges.
Police said a student from Cardinal Carter Catholic High School in Aurora and a student from St. Theresa Lisieux Catholic High School met to fight.
“During the altercation a parent of one of the students got involved. Investigators are aware of the videos of the fight which have been circulating on social media,” police said in a statement Tuesday.
“The investigation is ongoing and police are asking anyone that witnessed the fight, or anyone who has information on what took place leading up to the fight, to contact investigators.”
The first video posted on social media appears to show two students punching each other repeatedly when a man can be seen walking up to where the two students were fighting. The video then appears to show a man striking a student in the background.
The second video appears to show a man with blood on his face and shirt standing by a car. One of the individuals can be heard asking the man about allegedly punching someone.
“Because I thought they were jumping in on him. What would you do if it was your kid?” the man can be heard asking.
Someone then appears to be seen pushing the man, before he was punched by a different person. Multiple people become involved in the fight and the man is then seen being kicked in the back and the head, before staggering to his feet, getting up and opening the car door.
It’s not known what led up to the altercation. Meanwhile, police said school resource officers have since visited both high schools.
The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) also issued a statement Tuesday saying it takes the incidents “very seriously” and the safety of students is the board’s priority.
“The Board, together with school administration is committed to working with York Regional Police to investigate and to determine the various students’ level of involvement,” the statement said.
“The YCDSB will utilize the Ontario Safe Schools Act to determine appropriate consequences.”
York police announced an arrest on Wednesday in another fight that had broken out in the parking lot of St. Theresa Lisieux Catholic High School on Friday afternoon.
Bernard Deveaux, 18, of Richmond Hill faces charges of aggravated assault, uttering threats and carrying a concealed weapon after a student at the school was stabbed with a machete.
The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries. The accused was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for a bail hearing.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7241 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
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