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What should have been a happy occasion was disturbed by parents fighting in the crowd.

“Seeing video footage of this incident has angered me,” said Gonzales Police Chief Sherman Jackson. “Young people worked for four years to have a brief moment of recognition at their graduation ceremony. To have that moment turned into this is inexcusable.”

During the event at East Ascension High School, a fist fight started in the audience. Officials say the fight involved family members or friends who were there to watch.

“Adults, who should know better, detracted from the achievements of area graduates,” said Chief Jackson. “They should be ashamed.”

Video footage of the fight is being reviewed by investigators. Chief Jackson says they will make arrests once the instigators of the fight are identified.

“We urge anyone with information to come forward. People must be held accountable for what happened, and incidents such as these will not be tolerated in our city,” he said. “The sharing of videos made of this incident only serves to highlight this behavior. I ask instead that on social media, people celebrate their family members who earned the right to receive their diplomas last night. Let’s showcase those achievements instead of the people who set out to detract from them.”

If you know anything about this incident, call Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-STOP (7867).