3 arrested after knife fight and car chase at San Mateo High School
2 separate incidents at the campus put summer school program on lockdown
Three people were arrested Friday after violence broke out in two separate incidents during San Mateo High School's summer school program.
First, a knife fight broke out between three students Friday morning that left one student with a concussion and shallow cut to the stomach. Then, a group of students tried to start a fight with another group that ultimately led to a car chase through San Mateo and police confiscating a firearm.
Police arrested two of the students involved in the knife fight for assault and having a weapon on campus, and arrested a San Mateo resident who fled the scene during the police car chase for resisting arrest.
Both incidents caused the school to go into a lockdown Friday while police investigated.
Police said a verbal fight between two students Friday morning escalated when one student punched the other. The second student responded by punching the first back and knocking him out.
A third student joined the fight and held the first student's hands behind his back as the second student pulled a knife from his pocket. The first student freed himself, but the knife grazed his torso, leaving behind a shallow cut, police said.
The same day, another fight broke out on campus while the police were investigating the first. A large group started attacking one person at the bus loop on campus. When the police arrived, the group ran away on Poplar Avenue toward Delaware Street and piled into an Acura MDX before speeding off.
Police chased the car and watched one of its passengers throw clothing and a satchel under a parked car — which they later discovered contained a firearm. Two of the six passengers ran away once police pulled them over.
The two runners were caught at Poplar Avenue near North Claremont and one of them was arrested for resisting arrest.
Officials learned in the investigation that the group of six approached multiple students at school that day as retaliation for an unrelated fight — not the knife fight that occurred earlier that day.
Police enforced “secure campus” protocol for the school following the fights, which is an action response that keeps students behind locked doors until it's safe.
The school district enacted “The Big Five,” which is a protocol that has school staff, parents and members of the community identify and address certain safety needs of students in response to emergencies, like mental health and suicide prevention.
San Mateo police will increase their presence on campus during summer school hours next week, and they are “engaged with conversations” with the district on “how to best address their ongoing safety needs,” according to a press release.