Tuscaloosa County High Principal Comments On Tuesday Morning Brawl

NORTHPORT, AL — The Tuscaloosa County School System says there was no immediate threat posed at Tuscaloosa County High School Tuesday, despite videos circulating of a large brawl involving numerous students and adults. The school's principal, Darrell Williams, also cleared the air with parents and the community Tuesday afternoon.

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In one video obtained by Patch, numerous physical entanglements could be seen, with administrators — including Williams — visibly involved in trying to break up the altercation as it intensified. Another video shows what appears to be a law enforcement officer or security guard of some kind grappling with an individual outside of the school.

"I know many of you are aware of a fight that occurred in one of our hallways, during the school day today," Williams said in a statement to parents on Tuesday."Immediately after the altercation, all students were secured inside their classrooms. No one was allowed to enter or leave the building, while our administrators and law enforcement officers made sure the individuals who were involved in the fight were identified and secured."

Williams went on to say he was limited in what he could share Tuesday afternoon after the incident, especially with regard to discipline involving individual students.

"Please know that there will be consequences for those who disrupt our school day and show no respect for the safe, positive learning environment so many work hard to create," Williams said.

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Jessica McDanial told Patch that the school was never placed on under a formal lockdown, but declined to comment on any arrests at this time.

Northport Assistant Police Chief Keith Carpenter did confirm that city officers responded to a disturbance Tuesday morning, but said no arrests were made by NPD and there was little else available in terms of details.

While Tuscaloosa County High School is technically within the city limits of Northport, it's important to point out that the school's property falls under the primary jurisdiction of the sheriff's office. While NPD still patrols the vicinity around the school and responds to calls, the TCSO is in contracted agency to handle school resource officers for TCHS.

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