Colton, Calif. — A classroom altercation involving two 14-year-old students at Jehue Middle School in Colton, which was caught on video and circulated on social media, has escalated into a community issue stirring debates about race and violence among youths. The incident, which occurred on March 10, involved a physical exchange that ended with one student unconscious and widespread scrutiny of the actions taken both before and after the confrontation.
The dispute reportedly began over a seemingly innocuous incident involving a water pistol, which escalated dramatically. According to a peer of the involved students, the altercation started when the girl and another friend expressed their discomfort after being splashed with water. The situation took a severe turn when the girl allegedly hit the boy multiple times with a metal hydro flask.
The video that drew public and media attention shows the subsequent moments: the girl throwing a laptop at the boy, who retaliates by uttering a racial slur and then throwing her onto a desk, rendering her unconscious. The footage does not capture the earlier reported exchange involving the hydro flask.
Following the incident, both students were cited by the Colton Police Department—the girl for assault with a deadly weapon relating to her use of the hydro flask and the boy for battery linked to earlier events, not for his actions in the video that went viral.
Community reaction was swift and intense. At a press briefing outside the school, local leaders, including Samuel Casey, a pastor at New Life Christian Church, strongly criticized the decision to cite the girl, describing the act as rooted in racial hostility and demanding the withdrawal of her citation.
“The response to this should unequivocally address the racial implications and the violence displayed. It is unacceptable,” Casey emphasized during his plea to local authorities.
The school district’s spokesperson, Syeda Jafri, noted that a substitute teacher was present during the altercation but did not appear to intervene as per the video footage. However, Jafri confirmed that “decisive action” was taken immediately following the incident, with a call to safety officers highlighting the school’s prompt response.
With the scene causing uproar in the community, interviews with students provided conflicting reports of the initial trigger and the appropriateness of responses by both students involved. One student eyewitness defended the boy, suggesting he was merely defending himself after being struck multiple times.
The local police and school district continue to investigate the full circumstances of the incident, looking into the sequence of events and the actions—or lack thereof—by the supervising adults present. The community, meanwhile, remains divided, with discussions ongoing about the broader issues of safety, race, and the appropriate handling of conflicts in schools. These discussions are critical as they touch on the delicate balance of maintaining safety while nurturing a supportive educational environment free from discrimination and violence.