Updated 4:45 p.m.
The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into whether excessive force was used by a school resource officer who broke up a fight at South Columbus High School Tuesday.
The SRO is on administrative duty during the investigation, Sheriff Jody Greene said.
The SRO had to break up a fight between two male students in the cafeteria, Greene said. The deputy escorted the juvenile out of the cafeteria “to ensure each students’ safety. ”
“I received a message that the student’s mother called the office concerning the incident. She expressed concerns about the School Resource Officer’s interaction with her son,” Greene said.
The sheriff said he immediately contacted District Attorney Jon David and the SBI, requesting an outside investigation.
“This is normal procedure when a law enforcement officer utilizes use of force in the performance of his duties, and the use of force is questioned,” Greene said. “This procedure allows for due process and transparency, ensuring that an unbiased and thorough investigation is completed.” The SBI will present its evidence to the District Attorney, who will determine whether further action is needed.
The Sheriff’s Office is also conducting an internal investigation, Greene said.
“My office will cooperate fully with the SBI and the District Attorney’s Office during this investigation,” Green said. “I want to thank the NCSBI and the DA’s Office for their assistance and time devoted to this investigation.”
Assistant Superintendent Kelly Jones issued the following statement today (Wednesday)
“On May 17, 2022 a fight between two students at South Columbus High School occurred, requiring the school’s resource officer to intervene. Concerns have been expressed regarding the nature of the force used by the officer in stopping the fight.
“Safety is the number one priority for our school system and resource officers play a vital role in maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment. It is important when questions arise related to officer actions that a full and complete investigation occurs. Transparency is key in maintaining a positive relationship between our students, community and resource officers. We recognize that the Sheriff’s Office is making sure this occurs by referring the matter to the NCSBI and District Attorney Jon David. We will fully cooperate with the investigation into the officer’s actions, and support the review requested by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office.”
The student is identified as Ethan Gore in a Facebook post, by his mother, Karen Church.
Church said her son was “sitting at lunch today a boy decided to throw a whole laptop at the back of his head.”
Ethan got up and confronted the unidentified assailant, Church said, and the “boy flips a table over.” Ethan then hit the boy again, Church said, and the SRO grabbed Ethan’s hood as Ethan “Threw a chair at the boy.
“Note this boy is three times Ethan (sic) size,” Church wrote. “Honestly would have to (sic) if I was eating lunch and got a laptop to the head.” Another teacher restrained the unidentified youth, church wrote. (The SRO) quickly approached the fight and pulls Ethan out in the video.
The SRO then appears to restrain Ethan with an arm around his upper chest and throat. Church wrote that the video shows the deputy “whip Ethan around and begins choking him”
Church said her son was trying to walk out of the lunchroom when he was restrained by the deputy.
“You can see Ethan start hitting his arm,” Church wrote. “He is stating he can’t breathe, he has asthma. So then he (the deputy) proceeds to still choke him and drag him out still by his neck.”
Church said the SRO held Ethan in a choke hold from the cafeteria to the principal’s office. The SRO did adjust his grip on Ethan after the youth told the deputy he couldn’t breathe, Church wrote.
“…he was walking away to get the principal when the officer grabbed him,” Church wrote.
Church said she and her son have been interviewed by the SBI, and she plans to seek legal action. She said school officials told her the restraint “was necessary,” at which point she said she was withdrawing him from school. Church said school officials asked her to “please” let him return to classes.
Columbus County Schools officials did not immediately return a request for comment.
