​Extra Patrols Planned for Charter Oak HS After Fight Escalates To Potential Social Media Threat

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

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COVINA - Four teens were arrested Wednesday after a feud between students of the Charter Oak Unified School district devolved to a brutal fight and social media threat of further violence at Charter Oak High School.

The reported threat of violence is supposedly to take place at Charter Oak High School Friday, November 22. Covina Police and San Dimas Sheriff’s deputies will have an increased presence to ensure the safety of students and staff, the Covina Police Department said in a written statement.

Social media posts suggest that the long-standing feud would allegedly escalate to gunfire and as the posts were shared more and more, people believed a school shooting was planned, according to Lt. Ryan Davis of the Covina Police Department.

“There isn’t any specific information that we can confirm as valid at this point,” Davis said.

The threat is fallout of an escalating fight between students at Charter Oak High School and students from elsewhere in the Charter Oak Unified School District -- the latter group entered a Charter Oak High locker room and a fistfight broke out November 20, Davis said.

“This was a planned fight. A mutual fight,” Davis said. “One of the the subjects from another school gets this kid into a choke hold and he ends up choking the kid unconscious.”

The subject kept the teen in a choke hold, even after the teen lost consciousness. The teen was dropped to the ground and kicked twice in the head, Davis said.

Police were notified the evening of the fight. Four suspects were identified. Police took them into custody Thursday, Davis said.

Among the charges are assault with a deadly weapon for the primary suspect, fighting on a school campus and trespassing, Davis said.

Some of the students were advised to stay away from the high school previously.

The Charter Oak Unified School District released a statement on the threat:

“The Charter Oak Unified School District, Glendora Police Department and Covina Police Department are aware of a fight at Charter Oak High School and video postings of the fight and are investigating rumors regarding potential additional serious disturbances on the COHS and/or Arrow High School campuses tomorrow, Friday, November 22, 2019. 

“The entire COUSD administration is being proactive and is planning with the Covina Police Department, Glendora Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff to ensure a presence in the area tomorrow. Additionally, district leadership and Covina Police will be on campus at Charter Oak High School all day on Friday.”