EAST PEORIA, Ill. — Another video getting passed around online is scaring parents, showing local high school students in a violent fight.
It’s the second recorded incident from Friday night, putting more young people in handcuffs. The fight happened outside East Peoria high school’s home opener.
The two suspects are East Peoria residents, both EPHS students, and both juveniles. East Peoria Police say no injuries were reported, and the students are receiving appropriate disciplinary action.
The East Peoria video is the second one to be passed around online from last Friday night. The first one is one from the fight at Peoria Stadium involving school resource officers trying to break it up, causing a shooting scare when their batons struck the bleachers.
Now, it means police will keep a closer eye on what happens on school property.
“To have something like this start outside the stadium, a lot of it is oversight again,” East Peoria Police Chief Rich Brodrick tells 25 News.
“Where are the parents of the children who are doing this, and why is it that you have ‘x’ number of people involved, but two of them are our students?,” Broderick adds.
With such frequency, residents are asking why these incidents are happening so much.
“It’s just not good for the future just knowing that the young people are our future,” says community activist Yolanda Wallace.
The responsibility points to a central issue.
“I think a lot of things trace back to the family unit,” says Brodrick. “What’s going on there, what’s the oversight of the children?”
Now, concern is growing online about what this could mean with the new school year underway. For Wallace, it means a loss of unity among community members, what she refers to as ‘the village.’
“If we let this little inch go, I think it’s gonna take a mile.”
As school years begin again, and the cold months start to get closer, families are encouraged to make sure there is a parental presence.
“Spend time with them, talk about what they did the night before when they were out with their friends, and just kind of be involved,” says Brodrick.
East Peoria School District has not yet commented on the incident. The district provides mental health resources for families that need them. You can also text 211 to get information about critical resource programs in the region.
