Morgan Hill

Officers Assaulted at Morgan Hill Carnival, 8 Juveniles Arrested

A middle school carnival turned into a violence scene Friday when a teen with a weapon prompted large police response and seven officers were assaulted and eight juveniles were arrested.

Police responded to at the annual Lewis H. Britton Middle School carnival Friday afternoon after a school staff member reported a person with a knife. When officers attempted to take the teen with the weapon into custody, multiple others got involved in a scuffle with officers.

"From jumping on the back to pushing, to shoving," said Sargent Troy Hoefling from the Morgan Hill Police Department. "One officer was punched in the face."

A total of 59 officers from Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Jose and Santa Clara County responded to the scene, according to the California High Patrol.

A witness, Robert DeLeon, lives across the street from the school and he said he believes police responded to the situation in the wrong way. 

DeLeon said police blocked off the streets and there were about 30 patrol cars around the school. He said he believes law enforcement "overreacted" and situation escalated after the crowd saw how officials responded to the initial incident.

The teen with a knife was arrested as well multiple others who got involved, the Morgan Hill Police Department said.

"Had we had additional resources and officers not needing assistance at the scene, yeah there would have been dozens more arrested," Hoefling said.

Those arrested ranged from 13 years old to 17 and they were booked into Juvenile Hall Friday night, police said.

"There's been incidents, but not like this, not at a junior high school carnival," Hoefling said.

The annual carnival, a major fundraiser for the middle school, had been canceled following the incident. Crews were seen packing up the carvival rides and tents Saturday morning.

Contact Us