Cat Fight Ends with Pepper Spray
Date: 2008-11-01 17:22:07
Source: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-arti...
Submitted By: Cat Fights
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The mother of a Lee High School student was arrested on campus Monday afternoon following a fight. Police say they broke up an altercation between several girls in the school parking lot around two Monday afternoon. A few girls claimed they were sprayed with pepper spray by the mother of another girl. Police say when they searched the mother's car for evidence of pepper spray, they found a handgun loaded with five rounds. 36-year-old Chauntrell Lajuan Jackson is charged with child abuse and failure to store a firearm in a safe manner. Jackson's daughter drove the car to school Monday morning and parked on the street. Jackson told police she didn't know the gun was there. Police say her daughter told them her mom knew it was there and told her not to bother it. Principal Denise Hall says, "The weapon was not on campus, there was no intent involved, but you can't have a firearm in the proximity of the school." Two of the girls who claim they were attacked in the parking lot tell First Coast News they had permission to go out to the lot to get their books, but Hall says, "They had skipped fourth period and met out in the parking lot and fought." "Why is a mom at school during school hours fighting children?" asked the mother of the one of the girl's who claimed she was pulled out a car and attacked. She has a wounds on her forehead, elbow, and knee. "I was in the front seat, passenger," said the girl. Another girl in the same car said, "The momma had pepper sprayed me so I couldn't really see. I was just shocked and I didn't know really what it was." Principal Hall sent an e-mail to her staff Monday afternoon titled, "Girl Fight in the Parking Lot." Given to First Coast News by a teacher, it says, "There is no evidence of intent but (the gun) was too close to the campus for my liking. The State Attorney's Office may very well dismiss the charges like they have done in the past since it was on the street but that is okay. We are sending a message on our end. This will certainly make the news." It's not the first incident at Lee High School to make headlines. Just this year, two science teachers quit over safety concerns, other teachers claimed abuse by students, shots were fired at two football games, a few guns were confiscated from students, and First Coast News just discovered video of girls fighting on MySpace, which claims to be during third period gym class at Lee High. "I have not seen a video of the fight nor has anyone brought it to my attention, but that altercation, if it's the one I'm thinking of, had absolutely nothing to do with what happened yesterday." "There are more fights here than I'd like to see," said Hall. "Obviously as principal I'd like to see none. Do we have fights? Yes, we do. Do we have an inordinate amount? I don't believe so when you compare us to how we've been in the past, or schools in our general area." Hall says it's really difficult to stay on top of it all, but they're trying. "Nowadays it's blogging or Facebook and they've made each other angry and they bring it to school and we are constantly trying to be on top of that." Hall says she started Spirit Group within the school. It's a group of all types of student leaders that act as her eyes and ears. Hall says the group tells her what's going on and helps her diffuse situations. "I'd like to say we're proactive, but honestly if two teenagers have made it in their minds that they're going to fight, there's an adult standing next to them or not (standing next to them) that can stop them." Hall says all the girls involved in Monday's fight have been suspended and will be allowed to make up their final exams. As of late Tuesday afternoon, Jackson was in the Duval County Jail with a $750 bond.
