Eight people were arrested after a fight quickly escalated during a kindergarten graduation at Cleveland's Michel R. White elementary school.
Families of students at the elementary school were gathered for the graduation ceremony when two teenagers got into a dispute and stepped outside to continue it, said Roseann Canfora, a spokeswoman for the city schools.
"There were no students from our school involved," Canfora told NBC News.
According to multiple reports, Cleveland Police Commander Wayne Drummond said, "the fight started just before 11 a.m. between two rival teen girls, and spread to adults who had come to the kindergarten promotion ceremony. The ceremony had concluded before the fight began."
Drummond told NBC News that seven adults and one teenager were arrested for aggravated rioting. No serious injuries from the brawl were reported.
Councilman Jeff Johnson commended authorities for their quick response to the situation. Based on reports, there were at least 10 patrol cars at the scene.
Drummond told Cleveland.com that it was unfortunate that the student's graduation ceremony was overshadowed by the confrontation.
"It's just sad that it was marred by some adults who should be setting an example for the kids of how to behave but who did quite the opposite," Drummond told NBC News.
Parents were told to come and pick up their children after the school was put on lockdown. Some rushed to the school to pick up their kids when there were reports of a shooting. According to the Cleveland police, earlier reports of shots being fired were false.
Concerned parent Brianna Smith picked up her sons from the elementary school after she was told by a neighbor that there had been fighting and shooting at the school Friday morning Smith fears for the safety of her children.
"It makes me not want to send them for the rest of the school year," Smith told Cleveland.com. "For all I know, it could get worse."
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