No students involved in the post-football game brawl in Bethesda last week were charged with a crime, Montgomery County officials said.
Word came in a joint statement released Wednesday evening by Superintendent of Montgomery County Schools Monifa McKnight and police Chief Marcus Jones.
On Friday, Sept. 1, a fight broke out between students of Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Walter Johnson high schools after a football game near the Bethesda Metro station. Videos of the brawl circulated on social media and other news outlets showing multiple students punching, pushing and stomping on one another.
In one video, some teenagers could be seen kicking and pummeling one student who was curled up on the sidewalk.
So far, two people have filed police reports stating that they had been assaulted and there were other reports of thefts and robberies near the Metro station following the game.
The statement noted that its main purpose was to “reiterate our collective commitment to community safety,” while adding that certain actions would be taken to ensure that safety.
For the following week, all varsity football games in the county’s school system will be elevated to a Tier Two level of security — meaning spectator capacity will be limited to 75% and only students of the home school accompanied by an adult and families of student-athletes will be allowed to attend the games.
Further, no backpacks will be allowed at games, and games may be moved earlier to allow for daylight to assist with event management. School IDs must be shown for entry and anyone who engages in inappropriate behavior may be suspended from future events.
The statement said that while no students involved in the post-football game brawl were charged with a crime, they will face “appropriate disciplinary action” in alignment with the school system’s Student Code of Conduct.
In an interview with WTOP, McKnight said there are a pair of investigations into the fight — one conducted by the school system, the other by county police.
“The primary goal of this work is to determine precisely what occurred and to ensure that students involved will be held accountable,” the statement said of the joint investigations.
To further “extend safety beyond the school campus,” the school system said it is exploring placing additional staff members in key areas of school campuses and posting signage that “we and the community are watching.”
“This incident must serve as a teachable moment for our entire community. We must collectively reinforce the values of respect, tolerance, and resolving conflict through peaceful means,” the statement read.
