The fights stemmed from disputes between gangs from east Gainesville neighborhoods, sheriff's Lt. Brandon Kutner said.

Multiple gang-related fights that broke out in the courtyard at Eastside High School Wednesday resulted in the arrest of more than two dozen students, numerous students being pepper-sprayed or Tased and a campus lockdown.

The melee stemmed from disputes between gangs from east Gainesville neighborhoods, and school resource deputies had heard Tuesday that something could be afoot, sheriff's Lt. Brandon Kutner said.

“There were at least three confirmed fights in the common area and several other ancillary fights that broke off because of it. Deputies were forced to deploy both a Taser and (pepper) spray in order to control students that were involved in the altercation,” Kutner said. “We heard some vague rumors yesterday about the possibility some sort of physical altercation would possibly occur on the east side of the county today — no specific information as far as location or reason.”

Two students were taken to medical facilities for evaluation — one who hit his head in a fall and another for pepper spray. Most of the pepper spray cases were treated with water on scene. Two deputies were treated for pepper spray exposure.

Deputies arrested 14 students, including four age 18 or older, on charges including battery of a law enforcement officer and disorderly conduct, Kutner said. Sworn complaints were filed against two more students.

The fracas broke out at 11:45 a.m. School resource deputies calling for backup described it as a large altercation. Deputies responded from the juvenile relations bureau, criminal investigations division and patrol operations — nine or 10 in all.

Relatives of students gathered outside EHS said they were called by the students, who described a chaotic situation with kids running everywhere and deputies chasing students into classrooms.

Toya Wilcox said her little sister called her in fear as the disturbance was underway. Wilcox said her sister told her that deputies tried to take a boy into custody, but the boy said he was uncomfortable with the deputy. The situation escalated, resulting in the boy being Tased and hit with pepper spray.

“She called me crying and I came up here. She’s on the A honor roll classes and she said there was a fight in her classroom,” Wilcox said. “The (pepper spray) got on her. She’s OK. She was really scared because she’s not used to this kind of thing.”

Stella Green said her younger brother may have been the boy officers took into custody. Green said she was worried, given the nationwide issues between black youth and police.

“I’m very concerned,” Green said. “They tried to attack him and now he’s going up on battery of a (law enforcement officer.) He called me several times. He said he had nothing to do with it. He was just walking to class. Once he got to the classroom, he said, officers grabbed him. He said he was pulling away and then they Tased him and (pepper-sprayed) him.”

Kutner said school surveillance video showed the mayhem and that deputies reacted properly with the students. Investigators were allowed to view the video by the school district, but will have to obtain a subpoena to get a copy. Kutner said it will become public record after the Sheriff’s Office gets a copy.

Deputies interviewed 30 to 40 students as part of the investigation.

Alachua County School District spokeswoman Jackie Johnson said law enforcement closed the gates to the school but the usual school routine resumed once deputies got the situation under control. After-school activities also were held once classes ended.

The school district will conduct an investigation in conjunction with the Sheriff's Office, Johnson said.

“The students will be penalized by us based on our student code of conduct,” Johnson said.

This is the third outburst to happen at a county public school in the past two months.

In late October, Gainesville police arrested six students at A. Quinn Jones Center following a brawl that drew a crowd of 30 students. Police said it stemmed from a dispute between neighborhood gangs.

And six Santa Fe High School students were suspended after a Dec. 6 brawl. Johnson said the fight was not gang-related.