North Las Vegas school worker hurt trying to break up student fight

A staff member at Mojave High School was injured Tuesday after attempting to break up a fight among three students, Clark County School District police said.

A male and female student, both between 15 and 16 years old, began fighting around 2:15 p.m. at the North Las Vegas school, police Capt. Roberto Morales said. The brother of the female student also got involved in the scuffle. The age of the brother was unknown, but he is also a student at the school.

In efforts to break-up the fight, a staff member at the school was hit by a punch by one of the male participants, although Morales did not say which student it was.

Morales said the staff member injured was not one of the school police officers, but would not say whether the employee is a male or female or what position they hold at the school.

School police officers also responded to the scene. No one else was injured.

The injured employee was transported for medical evaluation, but Morales would not comment on the nature or severity of the injuries.

At least one of the students — likely the student who injured the staff member — will face charges of battery on a protected person. School police are considering whether to issue citations to the other students.

Although less frequent, Morales said physical altercations between students of the opposite sex are not uncommon.

School staff are not required or given specific training to break up fights, but are within their rights and the laws to intervene, Morales said.

“They’re required to assist if someone can be injured as a result of the violence, but we don’t tell them that they must become active in the confrontation,” Morales said. “We always recommend they try verbal commands. They’re within the law to use the force necessary to break up the first.”

Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.

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