(BILLINGS) Police and school officials in Billings are taking a threat of violence seriously after a large fight broke out near Billings Senior High School on Tuesday.
Video of the fight, posted to social media, shows about two dozen students involved. At one point, several students can be seen punching and kicking a student on the ground.
Shana Rhodes became concerned after her niece, who attends Senior, showed her the video on Snapchat, a social media site popular with teens.
“I started crying. I can’t believe that we have a generation that has no control because what it looked like to me is it looked like a mob of kids just losing it on one student,” she said.
Rhodes’ niece and nephew stayed home from school Wednesday due to concerns about more possible violence.
“She had heard that there was going to be another fight today at the mall or at Pioneer Park and possibly involving knives or guns,” Rhodes said. “Rumor or not, it is getting to be very scary and out of control and I think parents need to sit down with their kids, their high schoolers, and say look this isnt going to get you anywhere in life.”
Billings School District 2 Superintendent Greg Upham said he doesn’t know what sparked the brawl, but he told MTN News that police and school officials are investigating. Extra patrols were placed at several locations Wednesday after rumors surfaced online that another fight could be in the works, he said.
Upham said there were no further incidents reported on Wednesday and that officials are doing everything they can to make it a safe environment for all.
He said some of the students involved could possibly face criminal charges.
- Reported by Russ Riesinger
