On March 2, a group of six students at Thomas Stone High School in Charles County, Maryland, were arrested for assaulting an officer and an administrator. The incident occurred at approximately 10:19 a.m. in the hallway area of the school. The students reportedly threatened physical harm to another student when the School Resource Officer intervened.
Despite verbal commands to disperse, the students refused to comply. One student approached and struck the officer, who was protecting the victim from the group. While still working to shield the victim, the officer was pushed by another student who was attempting to engage in a fight. An administrator was also assaulted while trying to prevent the altercation.
To stop the physical attack, the officer deployed OC spray, which resulted in the six students experiencing exposure to the chemical. They were treated by Emergency Medical Services and released before being taken into custody and charged on juvenile offense reports with second-degree assault and disrupting school activities.
According to Maryland law, the students were later released into the custody of their parents. They also face disciplinary sanctions by Charles County Public Schools. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact PFC Payne at 301-609-3282 ext. 0452.
