From Deseret News archives:
Deputies break up a brawl at Brighton High
Deputies were forced to use pepper spray to bring one of the students into compliance.
Brighton principal Bob Sproul said there were no problems between players or students inside the gymnasium during the game. But as the students began leaving the school and going to the back parking lot, a yelling match broke out between students who were taunting each other, which escalated into a shoving match, Sproul said.
School administrators and four deputies broke up that fight quickly, but then another shoving match that turned into a fistfight started.
"It was like chickenpox. One incident started in one area and then two more started on the other side," said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Shane Hudson.
There were about 100 to 250 students in the parking lot at the time, but only a small number of students were actually involved in the scuffles, Hudson said. The majority of incidents were one-on-one fistfights.
One school administrator from Brighton was punched in the chest, Hudson said. In another incident, officials used pepper spray on a student involved in a fistfight, he said. That student was decontaminated by crews at the scene.
A total of five juveniles were taken into custody. Most were either cited and/or released, Hudson said. The citations were for disorderly conduct and failure to disperse.
The juvenile who allegedly punched the school administrator will have his case referred to the Salt Lake District Attorney's Office, Hudson said.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com
