On October 13, a large altercation occurred in Tenleytown between students of Dunbar High School and Jackson-Reed, inciting a heavy police response. This event happened after the Jackson-Reed vs. Dunbar football game.
According to an anonymous student who witnessed the fight, verbal harassment turned physical, and once they started to fight, the crowd grew and events escalated. The anonymous student recalls, “It was only really 3 people fighting, everyone else was just watching.” The Metropolitan Police Department, originally estimated that as many as 300 people were in the crowd, but this estimate was corrected, and changed later on. Principal Sah Brown relays that the MPD later retracted that number, classifying it as an error. “I estimate the number was closer to 30, instead of 300,” said Brown.
Will Kierig, a junior at Jackson-Reed and witness of the fight, believed that, “combining the two groups [of students] after the football game, especially after a big loss, tensions were high.”
Officers patrolling Tenleytown were dispatched to the scene, and pepper spray (oleoresin capsicum) was used on students as a method to diffuse the conflict. According to witnesses, the excessive use of the spray did not only harm the culprits, but also the bystanders. Sprayed students forced themselves into Wawa for milk to give their eyes relief. Wawa employees were seen trying to stop the students from taking the milk without paying. Kierig says that a police officer was also sprayed in the commotion. Videos capturing these events quickly circulated, including one of a girl crying in Wawa after being sprayed. In the video, her friends are seen and heard pleading with her to rinse her eyes with milk.
The MPD’s code on the use of force by officers authorizes force in a few situations, such as when an officer or others are facing resistance. Prior to using force, officers are required to attempt de-escalation through warnings and verbal persuasion. However, if this fails, officers can and should turn to force. Officers rely on a framework system as a guideline for when it is appropriate to use force, and the incident on Friday night falls under level two, which refers to an active resistor. With active resistors, officers are permitted to use pepper spray. Officers are required to submit a report of their use of force, and if the force causes a complaint of pain or injury, an investigation has to occur. When asked about the incident on October 13th, the MPD spokesperson responded, saying, “There was a reported use of OC spray that is being investigated. Since it is currently being investigated we can not comment on it or the incident that led to the deployment.”
The following Monday, police officers were stationed outside of Jackson-Reed’s main entrance and Wawa. In regards to the increased presence, one teacher reported that, “students told me that [the police] were there because Dunbar students came back to finish up what they had started.” When asked about the future of football games at Jackson-Reed, 11th grade Dean Myron Dockins said, “We will increase our staff presence at games to proactively resolve any issues and prevent them from escalating.” Commenting on what lies ahead, he said the goal, “is to consistently prioritize the safety of our students, ensuring a secure transition from games.” Looking forward, Principal Brown stated that, “We will continue to work closely with members of our staff, our community partners, parents, and MPD to ensure students are safe both inside and on their way to and from school.”
