Tuesday, January 30, 2024–9:15 a.m.
-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-
This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com.
Two 14-year-olds and one 13-year-old were arrested after a series of incidents stemming from a fight Monday morning at Rome Middle School.
According to Rome Police Department reports:
An unidentified 13-year-old girl is charged with five counts of felony obstruction of an officer and one count of misdemeanor simple battery and an unidentified 14-year-old girl is charged with felony interference with government property, five counts of felony obstruction of an officer and one count of misdemeanor simple battery. Another 14-year-old girl is charged with misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement officers.
The fight occurred around 8:18 a.m. on Monday just after students arrived at the school. The RPD school resource officer stated that when he arrived administrators already had the students separated, but within a short time the situation escalated again.
One student was in an office, still being loud and disruptive, and the officer attempted to calm the situation down. However, “she was actively trying to get out and go after the other student.” The student pushed through the administrator and attempted to pass the officer and run into the hallway. The officer stated he lifted her up and moved her back into the office.
At one point, a teacher was holding the door closed to the assistant principal’s office to keep one of the students, who was kicking the door, from getting out to get at the other student.
As that happened, another fight began. Administrators separated the two students. The situation appeared to be under control when the officer saw one of the students run out of an office door in the direction of the other student. He tackled the student, who kicked some of the gear off of the officer’s vest as he attempted to detain her. The officer then called for backup.
“Once other officers arrived we attempted to deescalate the situation but (the students) continued to scream and cause a disruption in the school,” the report stated.
The two students who were continuing to attempt to fight each other were placed under arrest and taken to the police station. The other student — who is related to one of the students arrested — was also charged because when police were attempting to place a student in handcuffs, she attempted to stop them.
Once at the police station, the 14-year-old student began throwing and kicking items in one of the interview rooms.
The cause of the fight appears to be, the report stated, that one of the girls walked up to the other at breakfast, said something, and walked off. While that student was walking away, the other ran up to her and began fighting.