(ST. CLOUD, FLA) — A St. Cloud High School student, 15, was arrested Thursday after allegedly body-slamming and punching a police officer while he attempted to separate 2 students from a fight on school grounds, according to the St. Cloud Police Department.
The teen, who was not involved in the fight, charged towards Police Officer Ball, grabbed him by the neck and wrestled him to the ground.
Bystanders were able to separate the teen from the the officer until deputies arrived on scene. No injuries were reported, according to FOX 13.
The 15-year-old was arrested and charged for battery of a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence.
He is currently being held at the Juvenile Assessment Center in Orlando.
Charges that entail battery of a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence are currently pending against the two other teens, both 14, that started the fight.
St Cloud Police Chief Douglas Goerke said in a statement Officer Ball was attempting to alleviate the physical altercation with the ‘least amount of force possible,’ and called the fight ‘extremely disturbing’ and ‘despicable.’
“Officer Ball was there to prevent two other students from harming each other,” Goerke said. “What occurred to Officer Ball was despicable and should never have happened. We will never tolerate behavior that targets our officers and will hold those accountable at the highest levels. We have been asked to provide body camera footage and are working to fulfill those requests as quickly as possible.”
The Officer has been working with the St. Cloud High School for 12 years, according to his profile on the school’s website.
“He loves working with the students at the high school and enjoys helping them to become productive citizens in society. Officer Ball takes his job of campus safety and security very seriously and wants to make sure students are safe and able to learn in an environment without worrying about anything happening to them on his watch. He feels it is his duty to ensure the parents that their children are safe, and they should have nothing to worry about when they send their kids to school.”