PORT ORANGE, Fla. – The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said one of its deputies was forced to grab a student and throw him to the ground Friday after a disturbance at Spruce Creek High School.
A student recorded video of the altercation and posted it on social media where it quickly spread.
Freshman Javon Bell said he was walking to class when he witnessed all the commotion.
"The deputy grabbed him by his neck and slammed him on the ground," Bell said.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said that the student had thrown his backpack on the ground and appeared agitated. Investigators also said the student was threatening to harm staff, when the officer approached.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the student faced the deputy and lifted his arms in a fighting stance when the deputy grabbed him.
"Unnecessary force used in that and that definitely has to be addressed. It has to be some other way to resolve an issue like that besides slamming a child," parent Jessica Bell said.
The situation eventually led the officer to call in Port Orange police. The report states that students were told to not leave their classrooms as rumors spread.
"It was very crazy because all of the students were like going crazy over it, because everyone knows him because he's pretty popular around school," student Richard Ballard said.
The student in the video and two other students are being charged in the incident.
The school district said that students' safety is its No. 1 priority.