A fight inside the Akins Early College High School cafeteria has left students facing Class B misdemeanor riot charges and prompted Austin ISD Police to open an investigation into whether the brawl was tied to gang activity. The students involved were removed from campus immediately after the incident and did not return to class afterward.
Austin ISD Police began investigating the fight on August 25, according to FOX 7 Austin. In a letter sent to parents and staff on September 1, Akins Principal Carman De Leon confirmed the school believes the fight is gang-related, and the letter states that the students involved were charged with riot, per the report. Under Texas Penal Code § 42.02, a riot requires an assemblage of at least seven people and is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000, according to Saputo Toufexis.
Akins is providing counseling and licensed mental health professionals for students experiencing strong emotions related to what they witnessed or heard, the school letter says. The campus is also working with Austin ISD Police to ensure community safety going forward, according to the same letter cited by the station.
A Junior’s Account of Everyday Danger
Serenity, a junior at Akins, told the station that fighting happens regularly in the school halls and that she does not feel safe when the fights occur. She said students often claim gang affiliation during confrontations or fights, even when the connection may not be real. Serenity also said she had previously seen a student bring a gun to school without pulling it out, a detail that underscores the anxiety students describe living with day to day…