Blood stained the steps of the Little Canton Supermarket on Independence Avenue, after a violent altercation between students of the Ottos Comprehensive School (OCS) yesterday. Eye witness confirmed that about 50 students had gathered.
The principal of OCS, Foster Roberts, told Observer that the students had been dismissed early to facilitate a staff meeting. Instead of heading home, several of them gathered outside of the popular supermarket attacking each other.
According to eye-witness accounts, a pair of scissors was one of the objects used in the fight, which left one boy with a gash over an eye, and another with multiple stab wounds. Reports indicate that the children were as young as 13.
“I was afraid that someone was going to die,” said one supermarket employee while others whispered among themselves about what happened.
“Because there were so many of them you couldn’t tell who was in the fight and who wasn’t,” the employee added.
During the altercation that erupted shortly after 12pm, a bottle was thrown into the supermarket. Fortunately, no one was harmed.
Camera footage obtained by Observer showed that the fight ended when an onlooker parted the boys by vigorously waving a stick.
According to the supermarket’s manager who called the police, officers arrived on the scene within three minutes of the 911 call. Observer understands that at least four students were taken into police custody, while the rest fled.
When Observer arrived on the scene, a second set of officers confirmed that they were responding to a report of a fight. When we contacted police public relations officer, Inspector Frankie Thomas, he was unaware of the situation but promised to investigate the matter further.
This incident could be a sign of a resurgence in youth-on-youth violence, after a lull over the past couple of months.
Earlier this week, viral video footage showed what appeared to be another brawl among students.
A few months ago, a number of youth were also questioned, taken into custody and/or charged by the police for various offences, including some serious ones.