New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Police prepare for arrests after fight at high school game
MIDDLETOWN — Following the large fight Tuesday at the end of the varsity boys basketball game between Middletown and Weaver high schools, local police are preparing to make arrests.
These come after officials reviewed camera footage, conducting interviews, consulting with the state’s attorney, and working in tandem with school district leaders, according to Middletown Public Schools Director of Communications Jessie Lavorgna.
In a related incident, all technical high schools in Middletown were placed on lockdown Friday as a precautionary measure following a threat of violence in retaliation for a for the fight, which later proved unfounded, authorities said.
District administrators and police worked together to ensure that those who were involved in the fight were properly identified, she added, saying that the “district is following its policies and procedures to respond with the appropriate disciplinary actions.”
Athletic events scheduled at Middletown High School were postponed Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution” following the incident, administrators said. The Weaver’s boys basketball game with New Britain scheduled for Wednesday also was pushed off.
Police Chief Erik Costa said Wednesday afternoon that more students than parents were involved: “It was definitely student-led.”
They also helped settle the dispute. “They were brought into the tumultuous behavior,” he explained.
“The safety and security of our students, staff, and families is of the utmost importance,” Superintendent of Schools Alberto Vázquez Matos said in a prepared statement. “What occurred after Tuesday’s game was highly disappointing. This is behavior that we will never accept from our students, nor from adults while on school grounds.
“The district will continue to work with our community to ensure that all district-sponsored events are family-friendly gatherings,” he added.