Aiken High students arrested after fights disrupt first week of school

Screenshots of a parent videos show the chaos that erupted after lunchtime fights Thursday at Aiken High School.

Date: August 03, 2023

A few Aiken High School students suffered minor injuries, and six classmates were taken into custody after lunchtime fights caused a major disruption Thursday.

Aiken police say rumors of guns at the school were untrue, even as parents rushed to the school after hearing that firearms were involved, students were stabbed and officers had surrounded the school on the first week back.

One male student was recorded on video being taken out on a stretcher with a large bandage on his left arm. Parents were seen lining up to withdraw their children as officers with Aiken Public Safety and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office maintained control.

“One student was transported to a local hospital with a possible arm fracture,” said Lt. Jennifer Hayes with the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

During the investigation, a knife was found, but it was determined not to have been involved in the fight and no injuries were received from the use of a weapon.

The knife found after fight at Aiken High School is shown in this photo provided by The Austin Rhodes Show.

“No firearms were located or involved in the disturbance. Six juveniles were taken into custody and charged with misdemeanor affray,” Lt. Hayes said.

The school was placed on a soft lockdown as administrators worked to restore order. Some students exited the building in tears, hugging their parents and updating them on what they knew.

ADPS Press Release:

Check back here for updates on this developing story.

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The Author

Greg Rickabaugh is an award-winning crime reporter in the Augusta-Aiken area with experience writing for The Augusta Chronicle and serving as publisher of The Jail Report. He also owns AugustaCrime.com. Rickabaugh is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Carolina and has appeared on several crime documentaries on the Investigation Discovery channel. He is married with two daughters.

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