Anaheim : Four Students Arrested in Incident at School

Four high school students were arrested Thursday at Canyon High School after what police called “a disciplinary problem that got out of hand.”

Lt. Marc Hedgpath said police responded at 12:35 p.m. to a call from a school employee who reported that numerous students were gathering in front of the school.

Authorities had tried to remove from the campus a student who had been suspended but had repeatedly defied warnings not to return to school, Hedgpeth said.

“This time the principal said he would call the police and arrest her.”

During a scuffle with the principal, in which the girl was joined by three other students who claimed to be related, the student made threats against the principal and assaulted him, Hedgpeth said.

The group incited other students present to enter the fray, he said. “That caused everyone to feel the thing was escalating. When the officers got there, they called for assistance.”

The four students who were taken into custody will be held at Juvenile Hall on various charges including trespassing and assault and battery, Hedgpeth said.

Both school and police authorities said they had received a few calls from parents concerned that the incident will continue to grow. Neither said they had any reason to fear violence on campus today.

Tom Neill, public information officer for the Orange Unified School District, of which Canyon High is a part, said the incident arose from a fight two weeks ago between two other students. “This week, one of the students threatened revenge and had 10 of his friends from continuation school come on campus to look for this other student.”

The four students arrested Thursday were girlfriends of the continuation students, Neill said.

There is no evidence that the incident is race- or gang-related, authorities said.