JESUP — Fights broke out Friday morning among students attending Wayne County High School — and in the melee, the school principal was injured.
Wayne County School Superintendent Kendall Keith stated in a news release later Friday that altercations that began off campus moved on campus and quickly spread to different locations at the school just before classes started.
As many as eight students were involved in altercations in commons areas of the school, Keith said.
At one point, Principal Joe McPipkin — who underwent back surgery in December — reportedly re-injured his back as he tried to separate two students who were fighting. There was no further report of his medical condition.
Administrators, support staff and teachers broke up several other fights among students while at the same time securing the area where students were waiting to enter classrooms, Keith said.
He said order was restored as quickly as possible, and students eventually were able to attend classes.
Wayne County sheriff’s deputies who responded to help handle the altercations arrested several students, although an exact number was not available from the Sheriff’s Department.
There was no indication of what might have precipitated the fighting.
Keith said some preliminary information about the fracas were overblown.
“Reports by students or other sources that this was a student riot ... are inaccurate,” he said.
Keith further said that weapons — knives and guns — were not involved.
Wayne County School Superintendent Kendall Keith stated in a news release later Friday that altercations that began off campus moved on campus and quickly spread to different locations at the school just before classes started.
As many as eight students were involved in altercations in commons areas of the school, Keith said.
At one point, Principal Joe McPipkin — who underwent back surgery in December — reportedly re-injured his back as he tried to separate two students who were fighting. There was no further report of his medical condition.
Administrators, support staff and teachers broke up several other fights among students while at the same time securing the area where students were waiting to enter classrooms, Keith said.
He said order was restored as quickly as possible, and students eventually were able to attend classes.
Wayne County sheriff’s deputies who responded to help handle the altercations arrested several students, although an exact number was not available from the Sheriff’s Department.
There was no indication of what might have precipitated the fighting.
Keith said some preliminary information about the fracas were overblown.
“Reports by students or other sources that this was a student riot ... are inaccurate,” he said.
Keith further said that weapons — knives and guns — were not involved.