Parents and business owners in Newark's Downtown district said they have seen enough and want something done with the wild outbreaks of male juveniles engaged in fist fights among each other in front of a Newark charter school.
Officials at the M.E.T.S Charter School confirmed that they are currently investigating reports of a video that surfaced on social media that had several males viciously beat, stomp, and kick a male in the face in front of their school at 570 Broad Street Monday.
The school official stopped short of confirming that the males involved in the incident attend the M.E.T.S Charter, but parents of students that attend the school refuted the claim stating the fighting occurs just about "every day" and even inside the building that houses the Chase Bank and a State Farms Insurance Company on the lower level.
A parent of a M.E.T.S student who voiced frustration on the matter said the group of male students exit the building daily and began their attack with Monday's incident not even scratching the surface of what occurs while customers are patronizing businesses and store owners conduct daily activity in the city's downtown.
"Some fights literally happen directly in front of the school; Tuesday's fight was in front of M.E.T.S Charter where juveniles beat a young man almost unconscious and not one school official or police officer ever arrived to assist. Last week's brawl made its way down to The Board of Education where these kids stop traffic and bring business to a standstill" the parent said.
Officials at M.E.T.S. Charter School said that they are closely working with local authorities and looking at videos found on social media platforms of the incidents. "This is an incident that possibly involved juveniles and because of this, we are withholding comments until an active and ongoing investigation commences. If the incident does involve our students, we will handle the situation accordingly" school officials said.
In October 2017, M.E.T.S. Charter School shared a building that occupied a bank directly across the street from City Hall -900 block of Broad- where police arrested a student after officials found a loaded pistol inside the building. The school has since moved from the premise that they cohabited with a daycare center and another charter school. The school moved their learning center to 570 Broad Street after that incident.
Patrons inside one of the restaurants near the school said they have witnessed outbreaks of violence that forced them to hold their places inside the eatery after fights erupt during the after school hours.
"I eat lunch in this area daily and I can't confirm where the fight participants come from, but it is indeed horrifying to see them beat on each other like that. Something really needs to get done about this nonsense" the customer said.
Newark Police officers on Tuesday stepped up their presence in that section near the school after they received reports of crowds beginning to form on both sides of the street. Officials have not said why the juveniles choose the 500 block of Broad Street to conduct their physical outraged attacks among each other.
There were no severe injuries reported.