Nine teens arrested in connection with Amsterdam High School fight

Police have arrested nine teens in connection with Monday’s large fight at Amsterdam High School.

The fight broke out around 8:40 a.m. The juveniles are all male and range in age from 14 to 16 years old. Six are facing misdemeanor assault charges and three were charged with disorderly conduct, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

The arrests followed interviews with witnesses and a review of body cameras and surveillance cameras, police said. Amsterdam Police and New York State Police assisted in the investigation.

Additional charges are possible based upon the investigation.

The school district met with law enforcement officials on Wednesday to discuss ways to resolve these issues.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it will continue to work with the school district to develop best practices to avoid incidents like this. Police said a collaborative effort is needed “to assist students and families in better decision making and improved general life skills.”

Amsterdam Superintendent of Schools Richard Ruberti told NewsChannel 13 on Tuesday that this specific incident was the result of something that occurred outside of school last week and spilled over into school, which is something he said happens often.

“You have a fallout sometimes resulting from somebody had their sibling or a friend involved and they might want to right the wrong.”

The district hired an outside security firm a few months ago to analyze its procedures. The district safety coordinated started Monday and has been reviewing procedures.

Ruberti said social media has had a negative impact and has exacerbated issues.