- Video shows security footage of fights that canceled a Friday night preseason football game at Gene Cox Stadium.
- LCS Safety & Security team is reviewing footage of which students were involved.
- They're meeting with LCSO to talk about making revisions to their emergency plans.
- Leon High's Football Coach is also working to keep his players safe moving forward.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Working to keep Leon County's sporting events safe for everyone.
"We may have some ideas and we may do some things a little bit differently," said Jimmy Williams.
School safety and security leaders are analyzing video from Friday night's football game. But they're not watching for plays on the field. They're watching the fights that broke out in the stands.
That fighting at Gene Cox Stadium Friday night ended the game early. I'm taking a closer look at how leaders working to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"If it's on video, and our administration views a student that's violating student code of conduct, it's a good likelihood that the staff at their school will be approaching them today and tomorrow," said Williams.
Holding everyone accountable. That's what Leon County School's Safety & Security team is working to do Monday. This follows fights that broke out a Gene Cox Stadium Friday night's game. It started near the concession stands and spilled in the parking lot.
Chief Jimmy Willams told me to keep people safe, school officials and Leon County Sheriff's Office school resource deputies canceled the game at half time.
"This is an opportunity to take a good look at our process and the way we operate during our football games," said Williams.
An 18-year-old student was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting an officer without violence.
This isn't the first incident that's happened at a football game at Gene Cox. I checked with Leon County Sheriff's Office. A school resource deputy arrested a 14-year-old for having a loaded gun at a game back in August 2022.
Even though they reevaluate their emergency plans every year, Williams said they're meeting with LCSO to talk about any additional revisions that can be made to, "see where we can improve and we may have some ideas and we may do some things a little bit differently."
Increasing the number school resource deputies at events and encouraging parents to accompany their students at games are just some of the ideas.
"I'm really optimistic that our next football game at Cox stadium, we will have enhancements and revisions made to the plan," said Williams.
Leon's head football coach, Tyrone McGriff said he's also working to keep games safe. After Friday night's fights, he he took to Facebook saying in part quote:
"My priority is the safety and well-being of our players. In light of recent events, I am actively working to address the concerns and feelings of our team members. I am in the process of implementing an emergency action plan that our team and coaches will follow in case of any unforeseen incidents."
McGriff tells me this past Friday's partial game will not be rescheduled. He and his team are looking forward to having a safe and successful season.
If any policy revisions are made, Williams says they'll be put into place before the next game happens here on Friday.
