14 arrests, student and officers injured in brawl at Nashville school

Police have arrested 14 students on charges including assault on a teacher and assault on police officers after a series of fights broke out this week at a Nashville public school.

Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said officers responded to Johnson Alternative Learning Center at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday after fights began breaking out at the school at 1200 2nd Ave. S., just south of downtown.

The melee began when two students began fighting in a portable classroom behind the school, Aaron said.

During that fight, a 13-year-old female student assaulted a teacher inside the classroom. The teacher was not seriously injured. That same student, Aaron said, also assaulted two police officers as they worked to take the girl into custody.

During the fight, a second 13-year-old student broke out several windows in the portable classroom. At the same time, another 13-year-old male student broke out windows inside the school principal's office, Aaron said. Paramedics transported the boy to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to be treated for a minor hand injury.

Meanwhile, authorities said, additional fights broke out in the school's main building and parking lot.

Once the initial disturbance was stabilized, Aaron said, several smaller fights again broke out in the main building. During one of those fights, a 14-year-old student struck an officer in the face multiple times, Aaron said. The officer did not suffer major injuries.

In all, police arrested 14 students, the bulk of them on disorderly conduct charges. Others face charges including resisting arrest, vandalism, assault on a teacher and assault on police officers.

Metro schools spokeswoman Michelle Michaud said each student involved will face disciplinary action. She did not elaborate.

She also said the school's security has been ramped up following the incident.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.