Mother of player involved in bleacher brawl speaks out
On Friday night, a Desert Hot Springs High School player got involved in a bleacher-side brawl that ultimately led to the football game being canceled.
Now the mother of that student is speaking out, telling KESQ News Channel 3’s and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner about what happened that led to her son getting involved.
“My son was in the rumble and at first I didn’t understand why he was in the rumble, until I seen his dad at the bottom of the pile,” said Liz Ward. “When he (saw) his dad being attacked by multiple people, that’s when he ran up to go and try to help his dad.”
Liz said the father was in the middle of trying to break up a fight he was not involved in when the incident unfolded and he became caught up in the action. She said the father had scratches under his eye and sustained an injury to his arm, but declined to go to the hospital.
She said it was the second fight in the bleachers that night and led the DHSHS principal to call of the game.
“We don’t have a district protocol. It’s up to administration on site regarding safety of community and students,” said Anne Kalisek, executive director of Student Support Services at the Palm Springs Unified School District “I feel like he made the right decision.”
Kalisek said there is always adequate security at the games, but Ward said they did not react quickly enough.
“In some of the videos you can see, they were just standing around. I don’t think security was a help,” she said.
Ward added that her son is now worried about what the attention will do to his prospects for college. He had been hoping to attend UCLA.
The district said an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Ward said she and her son met with DHSHS school administrators Monday afternoon. She said the school was sympathetic to the situation, but her son will still face consequences. What they will be is not yet known.
The Desert Hot Springs Police Department is also investigating since adults were involved.
