With school almost out for summer, high school seniors have gotten restless.
A senior prank at Richmond Hill High School went awry on Friday, June 12 after a coordinated food fight got out of hand, causing school administrators to lockdown the school and call the police.
In total, the police removed 10 students from the school and charged the one 18-year-old, Stephen Gonsalves, with criminal possession of a weapon for carrying a knife, said the community affairs officer at the 102nd Precinct. The other nine students, all under 16 years of age and most likely not seniors, had to file juvenile delinquency reports.
With 3,262 students, Richmond Hill High School, located at 89-30 114th Street, became the victim of an Internet coordinated attack, according to news reports. Students brought water balloons, eggs, baby powder, rice, silly string and paint, among other items easy to throw, for the 10 a.m. prank. Reports state that the fight began on the second floor of the school and then spread.
“The students were throwing eggs out of windows,” said the officer at the 102nd Precinct.
Though there have been no reports about physical injuries and few in regards to permanent property damage, the school and the Department of Education (DOE) have taken the food fight incident seriously.
“This incident is being investigated and disciplinary action is being considered, probably suspension, but [we’re] waiting for NYPD action to take its course,” said Margie Feinberg, a spokesperson with the DOE.
Though some of the students acknowledged in interviews that the “seniors over did it” and that the lockdown was an inconvenience, others had different opinions.
A student at Richmond Hill High School posted on YouTube a short mobile phone video of the mayhem outside of the school. The student wrote, “the 9th graders got kicked out of the trailers… Fun day for us. Security came and said to go home… the things that happened was a food fight, throwing water balloons with shaving cream inside and paint… This day is a day to remember and the best way to end the school year.”
The administration at Richmond Hill High School did not want to comment for this article.
