OAK PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Oak Park High School closed Wednesday and will be offering instruction virtually Thursday and Friday out of an abundance of caution after a frightening incident.
Oak Park police told 7 Action News they have had detectives working to identify and find up to 10 people who they say forced their way into the school as the day ended Tuesday, pushing past security and fighting students. It was all caught on video.
TheMetroDetroitNews.com shared clips with 7 Action News. Police confirm it is video of the fight that they have collected as evidence.
We blurred the video to protect the identity of students, but you can see a group of males, who school authorities say they believe are adults, barge in. Security tried to stop them, but they still start fighting students.
“My daughter had mentioned it to me and she told me it was older people she had seen arguing,” parent Sarvita Jones said.
Jones says her daughter saw it as she tried to leave school that day and this is not the only violence her daughter has seen at school.
“It is at the point that when she comes home from school, my husband and I, we ask her, 'How was school?' And then the next thing is, 'Were there any fights?' And it seems like the answer is always yes,” Jones said.
Oak Park Schools Superintendent Jamii J. Hitchcock, Ph.D., declined a request for an interview but shared a letter sent home to parents. It tells parents that eight to 10 men forced their way into the school, fighting security. They then took off from the school, which is across from the police department. None were arrested.
The school is working with the Oak Park Police Department now on a security plan as police investigate. In the meantime, classes were cancelled Wednesday and students will learn virtually Thursday and Friday for safety purposes.
The mom we spoke to says she is on edge, concerned for the safety of students.
“These fights at the school are getting out of control. They need to do something about this,” she said.
The superintendent said she believes this happened in response to a previous fight off campus. Police are not yet reporting any arrests.
