Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 79° Today's Paper


Hilo High employee hurt after collision with officer during student brawl

A Hilo High School administrator was injured and taken to a hospital “as a precaution” after a police officer collided with her during a student brawl Tuesday morning, authorities said.

“No student injuries were reported, but one staff member was inadvertently injured and required medical attention,” a state Department of Education spokesperson told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser via email.

Hawaii island police said they were alerted to a potential fight on campus and, at about 9:30 a.m., “a verbal altercation took place while police and school staff were present.”

Police said the argument quickly turned physical “but during a potential brawl between two students, a police officer collided with a 51-year-old female administrator who was knocked to the ground while trying to separate the two students.”

A police report said the employee was not injured and “was treated at the hospital as a precaution, and later released.”

Five students were suspended after the altercation, police said.

DOE officials and police both noted that a social media post with video from the fight falsely claimed that the administrator was critically injured.

“It was disappointing to see the social media posts,” said Assistant Police Chief Kenneth Quiocho. “The posts take away from the seriousness of what is occurring in our schools, and it is hopeful that the public will look at the incident and not believe everything they see and read on social media without supporting facts. This incident was serious and it was more alarming that this kind of altercation takes place in our schools.”

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