4 taken into custody following fight at Wauwatosa West basketball game

 

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Four students were taken into custody, following a major brawl at a high school basketball game, so violent, it prompted school officials to tell everyone to get out.

We're learning more about the fight. Four girls and police say they're all students. The fight caused a major disruption at Wauwatosa West High School, but none of them are Wauwatosa West students.

"People were screaming. So, that's when people started running. So, I just started running with them and I got going. I was out of there," said Kevin Gibbs, Wauwatosa West High School sophomore.

It's another disruption, again, during a sporting event between rival schools.

"This is overwhelming how we have to go through three fights in one year," said Alijah Jackson, Wauwatosa West High School junior.

Alijah Jackson was in the middle of the mess.

"All I saw was just cops everywhere. It was just terrible, like, that was the worst fight I've ever seen from like both schools," said Jackson.

The Tosa West junior was also present when fights disrupted a Tosa East-Tosa West football game in the fall, and a basketball game last winter. He's fed up.

"Stop all of this violence here at this school. Stop making like our community bad," said Jackson.

Police took four girls into custody, students from Brookfield East, Menomonee Falls High School, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and Wauwatosa East.

Antwon Perry saw the fight and saw school resource officers jump into action.

"They started pushing everybody back and then telling people to leave like the place because there was a ton of fights going on," said Antwon Perry, Wauwatosa West High School West sophomore.

The student section cleared out in seconds. Wauwatosa police arrived and got the rest out.

"A lot of people was running, like soda spilling everywhere, like drinks. People were like slipping," said Kevin Gibbs, Wauwatosa West High School sophomore.

Fleeing so fast, things got left behind like coats and backpacks.

"I left my coat, literally, I had to get my coat, everything out of the locker," said Jackson.

Even students who weren't at the game felt jitters as students who were there started posting on social media.

"I was receiving like so many notifications, like in Snapchat. I was just in the middle of doing my homework and I see police cars outside of here, right here at my school. I was like 'oh my gosh'. I don't know what to feel about being here anymore at school. I want to feel safe too," said Charles Andrew Cruz, Wauwatosa West High School sophomore.

Initial witness reports of a gun being displayed were unfounded in the police investigation.

The four students taken into custody were issued citations for disorderly conduct. The Wauwatosa School District sent a letter home to parents following the school's evacuation Tuesday night saying:

"Hello Wauwatosa Community,

This evening, female students from Wauwatosa West, Wauwatosa East and a non-Wauwatosa School District school were involved in a physical altercation in the lobby during halftime at the Wauwatosa East/West basketball game. The lobby and gymnasium were evacuated out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of all attendees.

The Wauwatosa Police Department responded immediately to provide support and ensure the safety of all attendees. No individuals were injured and no weapons were found. All students involved in the altercation were removed swiftly from the scene by the Wauwatosa Police Department.

The game resumed after halftime with only immediate family members of the student athletes in attendance.

The Wauwatosa School District vehemently condemns the actions of the students who decided to engage in this behavior this evening. We have taken great efforts to address the behavior of students this school year. This isolated incident, while extremely disappointing, is not indicative of the conduct displayed by our students on a daily basis.

Upon the completion of a thorough investigation of the facts involving this situation, discipline will be levied in accordance with the District’s Disciplinary Framework.

We will continue to work in partnership with the Wauwatosa Police Department and our internal security team to ensure that all school events are safe."

Whether you're a fan, or you're on the team, sports are a big part of the happy memories you make in high school, and students we talked to just hope the fights don't ruin it for the rest of the student body.