Boy threatens students at Phoenix high school dance, resists arrest

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A boy faces multiple charges after police said he threatened students and argued with officers as they tried to arrest him at a school dance in the Phoenix village of Laveen on Friday.

Officials said they were called to Betty H. Fairfax High School on 59th Avenue south of Baseline Road after reports of students displaying weapons during the dance.

When they got there, witnesses said two boys who were outside the dance were involved.

They were arrested but had no weapons, police said.

Officers received additional information about a boy in a gray hoodie who had a weapon with him at the dance and was threatening students.

Police found him and when they tried to arrest him, the boy resisted, investigators said.

The fight escalated and, according to police, an officer had to use a stun gun on the boy. One officer was injured but did not go to the hospital.

Police said they found a pencil wrapped in a cloth and a comb in the suspect’s pockets.

He was taken to the Durango Juvenile Court Center on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

In a message to parents, Betty H Fairfax High School Principal Jef Heredia said no shots were fired and the district is cooperating with the investigation.

He added that additional security measures were taken on Monday “out of an abundance of caution.”

A parent meeting will be held later this week to talk more about the events, Heredia said.

The full message can be read below.

Dear Fairfax families,

We are sending this message to provide additional information about what happened at our homecoming dance last night. Our hope is to dispel rumors and ensure our families have accurate information.

Last night, police responded to a call that there was a gun on our campus. Our staff worked with local authorities to identify several individuals who may have been connected to the original call.

At no time were any shots fired and no weapons were found.

Unfortunately, one of the individuals involved in the prosecution was arrested due to their behavior when interacting with the police. The Fairfax team will cooperate fully with the active investigation into last night’s events.

School will operate on the regular bell schedule tomorrow, with additional safety measures in place as a precaution. There is no immediate threat to our school or anyone’s safety.

As always, mental health support is available to all of our students who need assistance with processing. We will be hosting a parent meeting later this week to discuss this further and will announce the details soon.

Thank you for your continued trust in Betty H. Fairfax High School.

With respect,

Jeff Heredia

Rector

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