Students Involved in School Office Brawl Charged with Rioting and Battery

The Hope Arkansas Police Department has released the results of their investigation into a student brawl in the campus office of Hope High School. Some of the students involved have been charged with Riot, Battery and Disorderly Conduct.

H.P.D. Press Release:

On January 17, 2017 at approximately 12pm, officers of the Hope Police Department and the Hempstead County Sheriffs Department responded to the 1700 block of South Main Street, also referred to as Hope High School, in Hope, Arkansas in reference to an officer needs assistance radio call. Seconds later, a 911 call was received from the main office of Hope High School requesting officers respond to a large fight in the main office.

The School Resource Officer advised that he observed a large group of students enter into the main office and engage other students in an aggressive manner. Several students then became involved in numerous physical altercations. One juvenile student picked up a plastic desk organizer and began to strike another student in the head with it, then threw the organizer across the office nearly striking other people.

One student was on the floor covering another female student. The School Resource officer attempted to separate these two students, but was then pushed by another male student. The officer turned his attention towards the juvenile male student who pushed him, and the student then pulled away and swung his fists at the officer. The officer was eventually able to detain the student until assisting officers arrived to secure the rest of the area and the crowd.

The altercations in the main office were possibly related to a previous fight between two girls in the school cafeteria which occurred just moments before the incident in the office area.
Several juvenile students who were involved have been identified and were disciplined per Hope High School handbook policy.

Four juvenile students were charged with Riot, Battery 3rd degree, and disorderly conduct and were released to their parents pending a juvenile court date.

One juvenile male was later arrested and charged with felony Battery 2nd Degree, riot, and disorderly conduct and was detained pending a juvenile court date.

The following students were charged as listed:
Cha’Myria L. Davis,19, Riot, Battery 3rd degree, and Disorderly Conduct.
Mercedes T. Harris, 18, Riot, Battery 3rd degree, and Disorderly Conduct.
Rosquasha M. Dancer, 18, Riot, Battery 3rd degree, and Disorderly Conduct
Dalisia Brown, 18, Riot, Battery 3rd degree, and Disorderly Conduct

All the adult students were cited and released pending a court appearance.