Arrests after brawl at Cleveland kindergarten graduation

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(Gallery by John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A kindergarten graduation at Cleveland's Michel R. White elementary school was followed by a fight that led to the arrest of eight people this morning.

Early reports of shots being fired were false, according to both the school district and Cleveland police.

Cleveland Police Commander Wayne Drummond said the fight started just before 11 a.m. between two rival teen girls, and spread to adults who had come to the kindergarten promotion ceremony. The ceremony had concluded before the fight began. The two girls attended the graduation.

The fight spilled outside the school at 1000 East 92nd St., Drummond said.

Principal Dee Sanders declined to comment, but district spokeswoman Roseann Canfora said no students at the school were involved in the fight.

Drummond said there were no injuries and that some of those arrested are juveniles.

Eventual charges could include aggravated rioting.

Councilman Jeff Johnson praised police for their fast response.

Drummond said it was unfortunate that the promotion ceremony "got marred because of the actions of a few."

The school, which is kindergarten through 8th grade, was put on lockdown, and parents were told to come and pick up their children.

Some parents were even running when they came to pick up their children.

Brianna Smith left the building around 12:20 p.m. with her sons, 7 and 12 years old.

She said she had been told by a neighbor that there had been fighting and shooting at the school this morning.

"It makes me not want to send them for the rest of the school year," Smith said. "For all I know, it could get worse."

With Mark Gillispie