Three Teens Charged After Fight Between Girls At School In Maplewood

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Two female students and a male student at Columbia High School in Maplewood were charged with various crimes this month after a fight broke out between the two girls at the school on Jan. 31, Police Chief James DeVaul said this week.

The 16-year-old girl was charged with assault and possession of a weapon after spraying a mace-like substance at the other girl and at other people — including while in the principal's office, police said.

The 17-year-old was charged with making threats because of a post she made later about other girl via Instagram, police said.

And the 18-year-old boy was charged because he took the spray away from one girl and gave it to the other, police said.

Chief DeVaul released the following account:

After noon on Jan. 31, he said, a female Columbia student, who was 16, "entered the library with the purpose to assault another female," who was a 17-year-old female student, according to the account.

"During the altercation in the library," police say, "CHS staff and others were sprayed with a 'mace type aerosol.' "

After several minutes, high school staff separated the two students. The 16-year-old fled and the 17-year-old was escorted to the main office by security.

The 17-year-old arrived at Principal Frank Sanchez’s office with school security. According to police, the 16-year-old heard the girl yelling in the office, so she entered the principal's office "to confront the student again," police say.

Other CHS staff members also entered the principal’s office to intervene, police say.

According to police, the 16-year-old then made threats and sprayed the substance, "which struck and or affected all that were in the room."

The 16-year-old then ran through the cafeteria and out of school, say police.

Regarding the 17-year-old, police say, "Later that day, this student then went on Instagram Live and made threats of bodily harm with a weapon towards the other involved student (16 years of age). At no time were threats directed towards the school."

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and police investigated and approved the following charges this month:

• The 16-year-old student was charged with three counts of aggravated assault (on different victims), simple assault, possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
• The 17-year-old female student was charged with simple assault and terroristic threats.
• An 18-year-old male student was "was identified as taking the mace type aerosol spray away from the one female CHS student (17) and giving it to the other female student combatant (16)," police said, so he was charged with possession of a weapon and theft of mislaid property.

Chief Duval thanked witnesses, other people who provided information, and detectives.

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