PORT ORANGE, Fla. – A 20-year-old man on the Atlantic High School campus Thursday had no reason to be there when he took brass knuckles to a large-scale fight and threatened a school administrator, according to Port Orange police.
Volusia County sheriff’s deputies, Port Orange police and South Daytona police were called around noon to the school on Reed Canal Road for reports of a brawl in the courtyard during the lunch hour, officials said. The campus was placed on a code red lockdown during the incident.
The Sheriff’s Office said a separate fight happened in the discipline office between suspects from the first fights.
The brawl ended with the arrests of 11 students and 20-year-old Greg Devose, according to police.
Deputies said the fight spurred from events that occurred Wednesday night at the Sunset Oaks apartment complex.
A Volusia County deputy said he recognized Devose in the large-scale altercation from previous experience. Devose had no reason to be on campus and came onto campus despite being told he was not allowed to be there by staff, according to the deputy.
Port Orange police later learned that while a school administrator was clearing the hallways during the code red lockdown she heard on the radio that people were entering the campus without permission. When she stepped into the hall she was confronted by Devose who pushed her and told her to “get the (expletive) out of (my) way before he (expletive) her up,” according to the arrest report.
The school administrator told police she last saw Devose running toward the courtyard.
After arresting Devose, police said they found a pair of “brass knuckles” in his pants.
Devose faces charges of trespassing on school property with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon without a license, armed burglary and battery against a school official.
Devose’s mother Lashawndra Burke said her son went to the school to protect his two younger brothers.
Burke said the night prior to the fight at school some of the students involved attacked one of her sons and she called police but nothing happened.
“When you call for protection at your house, don’t you think that’s what you’re supposed to get,” Devose’s grandmother Cora McCoy said.
Burke claims her sons didn’t want to fight and were arrested while defending themselves.
Volusia County Jail records show Devose was being held on $46,000 bail.
All 11 teens arrested are facing charges of disruption of a school function. Two of the teens were charged with probation violations, investigators said.
After the incident, Volusia County School officials said the school is putting in a fence around the campus. Superintendent Scott Fritz expedited the process to get the fence in place as soon as possible. In the meantime, a temporary fence was put up, officials said.
On Friday, 253 students were absent from Atlantic High School. School district officials said, on average, 140 students are absent daily.