Cedar Rapids police investigate fight between students

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids police said Wednesday two juveniles - one identified as a Jefferson High School student - have been charged in connection with a fight that happened Tuesday afternoon.

The video, which was briefly posted to Facebook and then taken down, shows at least three different people throwing punches and kicks, and at least one person walking away from the fight with what appeared to be injuries to his head and face. Several other people are seen standing around the fighting students, appearing to be taking pictures or video with their cellphones. A link to the video on Facebook was sent to TV9 by a viewer, but had been taken down by Wednesday morning.

Greg Buelow, public safety spokesperson, said he's spoken with the school resource officer at Jefferson High School, who made contact with the juveniles involved in the fight. Buelow said it's disturbing to see teens inflicting injuries upon one another, but the video also shows several standing around the fight, cell phones held up to take pictures and video.

'To stand there and just watch it happen doesn't really do anything for the victim, the offender, or the community at large,” Buelow said.

Buelow said reports of fights between teens are common, but sometimes the tricky part is stopping them before they start.

'There are probably dozens of fights and other issues that are prevented by the work of school administrators, good teachers and the school resource officers working collectively,” Buelow told us.

Marcia Hughes, community relations supervisor for Cedar Rapids Community Schools, said the following in a written statement early Wednesday: 'We are aware that an altercation occurred between two or more teenagers on Tuesday afternoon - off school district property and outside of school hours. We understand the incident is under investigation by the Cedar Rapids Police Department.”

A similar statement was sent out to parents by Jefferson High School principal Chuck McDonnell.