Jennifer Edwards Baker

jbaker@enquirer.com

A 33-year-old Millvale man is wanted on on suspicion of starting a fight that led to a brawl during a punch-and-cookies reception after a kindergarten graduation Monday, prompting an elementary school to be placed on lockdown.

Raymond Walker is charged with assault and inducing panic in the 11:30 a.m. disturbance at Mt. Healthy North Elementary School, 2170 Struble Road in Springfield Township, court records show.

Walker is accused of starting a fight with another man, Dominique Garrett, and injuring him, according to police.

The dispute sparked a brawl involving up to 20 others after the 150 kindergartners graduated and were snacking on punch and cookies in the school cafeteria.

"The assault did induce panic during the assembly, causing several in attendance to be pushed," Springfield Township police wrote in a sworn statement filed in Hamilton County Municipal Court. "The school was placed on lockdown and then eventually evacuated."

Walker left the school before authorities arrived. His last known address is the 1900 block of Neyer Avenue in Millvale, on Cincinnati's west side.

"It's unusual," said Springfield Township Police Lt. Brian Uhl. "These things typically don't break out at kindergarten graduations, but obviously there was some issue between the two. It's just unfortunate it had to take place there."

Lori Handler, superintendent of Mt. Healthy schools, said the two men who fought know each other from the neighborhood. Their dispute has nothing to do with school.

"It was very unnerving for my 5-year-olds to witness something like that," she said. "It's so sad that adults can't control themselves in a joyous situation."

She said both men were thrown out by school officials just before police arrived. No one was hurt except for the man Walker allegedly attacked.

"At least they didn't disrupt the children's program," she said. "I was absolutely floored. We are going to prosecute to the fullest extent for inducing panic in a school building.

"Obviously, you can't have people acting in that way in a public arena. No, that will not happen again. There needs to be some decorum. Panicking 5-year-olds and panicking parents? No."

This is not the first time Walker has been wanted by the law.

He was convicted of fleeing Springfield Township police, running a stop sign and wrecking into a tree, seriously injuring his female passenger, on April 19, 2003, court records show.

He served nine months in a state prison before he was released in June 2004, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

He also has been arrested on misdemeanor crimes such as theft, being in a park after hours, drug abuse and possession of marijuana and an open flask.