Philadelphia school officials, volunteers jumping in to prevent fights
District-wide this school year, 2,738 serious incidents have been reported.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A video circulating on social media is now at the center of an assault investigation in Philadelphia. It shows one teen sucker-punching another, leaving him bleeding from the mouth.
Police sources say this incident happened in the hallway of George Washington High School on February 27. The victim reportedly needed stitches and lost a tooth.
"That part we will not accept where students are brutally injuring other students or jumping other students," said Chief of School District Safety Kevin Bethel.
"Some tensions between Russian-Uzbek and African American students has risen to fights in the schools," he said.
To prevent tensions from boiling over, Bethel reassigned additional officers to George Washington High School
District-wide this school year, 2,738 serious incidents have been reported; 356 assaults were reported to district police.
Bethel says more serious matters like aggregated assault are referred to Philadelphia police.
"Some of the same things they've gone through, we've been through," says Joe Budd, one of the founders of Men Who Care of Germantown.
The group volunteers to build bonds and prevent violence in Northwest Philadelphia schools.
"What does de-escalation look like? What does critical thinking look like? So our kids will think of alternative ways to resolve conflict," said volunteer Clayton Justice.
