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Police continue looking for youths involved in Taft Elementary fight on YouTube
YOUNGSTOWN
Police say they have not stopped looking for more juveniles involved in a fight on the grounds of a South Side school that was uploaded to the Internet and eventually sent to the police department.
Police arrested four more teens this week in addition to the three teens and one adult arrested last week. All those arrested will face a felony charge of aggravated riot and a misdemeanor charge of aggravated trespass.
Police this week arrested a 16-year-old South Side male and three 15-year-old East Side males.
Last week, police arrested two South Side males — a 16-year-old and 14-year-old — and a 15-year-old East Side male. The one adult charged thus far is Blake Valentin, 18, of East Philadelphia Avenue.
Police are investigating a fight that took place March 17 near Taft Elementary School on the South Side during the weekend while the school was closed.
Police and the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force said additional warrants have been issued for other subjects seen on the video, and the task force is looking for them.
The video shows a shirtless teen in black shorts engaged in a fight with another teen. Multiple people stood around and watched the fight unfold with several people recording the fight.
The video shows chaos eventually breaking out with multiple fights taking place at the same time.
Chief Rod Foley said the fight was not a staged event as seen on other YouTube videos of local teens fighting. He said the fight was fallout between two groups of kids who had a prior altercation over use of a basketball court.
Police also have been told the two factions of kids fighting in the video had an ongoing feud before the issue at the basketball court and the fight at Taft.