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Fan Melee Erupts at Girls Basketball Game
Associated Press ^ | 3 Feb 05

Posted on 02/03/2005 9:04:06 AM PST by KStorm

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) - A fight broke out in the stands of a girls high school basketball game, prompting police to fire Tasers to stop it and clear the gym, authorities said. Nine people face charges.

Witnesses said Tuesday night's melee, involving dozens of fans, began in an upper deck and spilled onto the floor. It was apparently sparked by an earlier dispute between students of the two rival schools, Prattville and Stanhope Elmore.

"There were chairs being thrown and people running all over the place," said witness Stan Davis. "I grabbed my 8-year-old daughter and we just tried to stay out of the way."

"Initially, there were 30, then it started spreading like cockroaches," said another parent, Joanne Heningburg.

Arrest warrants were issued for three adults and six juveniles, including three teens taken into custody Tuesday night, District Attorney Randall Houston said Thursday. Among the charges were assault, disorderly conduct and refusing to obey an officer, he said.

There had been a fight between students at the two schools at a fast-food restaurant last week, authorities said.

"Apparently the same two groups met up at the basketball game tonight, and the altercation continued," Police Chief Alfred Wadsworth said.

Police hit some participants with Tasers, which can incapacitate a person with an electrical jolt, Wadsworth said.

The fight was captured on video and shown on television.

"People were screaming and running," Prattville cheerleader Cherish Cartee said. "Girls lost their cell phones. Keys got lost. It's something I will never forget."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Really, the cheerleader's statement 'Girls lost their cell phones' just about cracked me up for some reason. Maybe it's just me.
1 posted on 02/03/2005 9:04:06 AM PST by KStorm
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To: GeneralStorm

LOL It's a statement on the state of todays youth!


2 posted on 02/03/2005 9:06:38 AM PST by exnavy (lead, follow or get out of the way)
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To: GeneralStorm

As the mother of a teenaged daughter, this cracks me up too.


3 posted on 02/03/2005 9:06:49 AM PST by Quilla
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To: GeneralStorm

What a tragedy. To lose a cell phone is just such a traumatic event. Perhaps we should start a relief effort for them....


4 posted on 02/03/2005 9:09:10 AM PST by I'm ALL Right! (Welcome to my addiction.)
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To: GeneralStorm
"Catfight!!"

5 posted on 02/03/2005 9:13:11 AM PST by TheBigB (Ask Fierce Allegiance about his suck emergencies!)
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To: TheBigB

Geocities exceeded transfer


6 posted on 02/03/2005 9:26:16 AM PST by frogjerk
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To: GeneralStorm
actually is some crappy reporting ~ particularly with the ditzie cheerleader comment thrown in.

I saw the video of this violent outbreak last night and it was no joke! There wasn't just one chair blindly flung into this crowd ... I counted at least six chairs hurled up and out into the brawling mass ~ it was happening so fast I am pretty sure even more than six were thrown.

7 posted on 02/03/2005 9:31:11 AM PST by Zacs Mom (Proud wife of a Marine!)
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To: GeneralStorm; TheBigB

'Girls lost their cell phones', Beebers ok.


8 posted on 02/03/2005 9:34:01 AM PST by stainlessbanner (Don't mess with old guys wearing overhauls.)
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To: GeneralStorm

I'm surprised they didn't pull the old "It was just like being in Iraq".


9 posted on 02/03/2005 9:37:09 AM PST by AppyPappy (If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.)
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To: GeneralStorm

Heh, heh. No, it's not just me.

BTW, my senior daughter plays varsity basketball. The reffing is terrible and the fans have come close to fights. One father from the opposing team, after the game, walked up to one of our players and spit on her.

Basketball is difficult because all the rules are so subjective. There is a fine line between a legal play and a fowl. And girls basketball seems to get the worst refs.

Bad calls take their tolls on both teams and their fans. But it's still just basketball.

I must admit however that I often think of the rules changes in the old movie "rollerball" as I watch girls basketball. They need to start wearing football uniforms for protection.


10 posted on 02/03/2005 9:38:30 AM PST by RobRoy (I like you. You remind me of myself when I was young and stupid.)
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To: GeneralStorm
Really, the cheerleader's statement 'Girls lost their cell phones' just about cracked me up for some reason. Maybe it's just me.

No, it's me too. The thought of it is about as funny as the time I saw a Japanese tourist in San Francisco drop his camera on the pavement while walking down Lombard Street. The look on his face was something I'll never forget. Two pretty Japanese girls tried desperately to console him, but without effect.

11 posted on 02/03/2005 9:43:42 AM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: GeneralStorm
Girls lost their cell phones. Keys got lost. It's something I will never forget

It made Attica look like a tea party! /sarcasm
12 posted on 02/03/2005 9:46:18 AM PST by GodBlessRonaldReagan (Count Petofi will not be denied!)
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To: GeneralStorm

This is typical of kids sporting events. That's why all the hand wringing over the incident between Indiana and Detroit made me want to laugh.

You hand wringers have obviously watched very little high school or grammar school sporting events.


13 posted on 02/03/2005 9:46:19 AM PST by Smogger
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To: RobRoy
There is a fine line between a legal play and a fowl

Ity's not hard to tel them apart, fowl usually have feathers.

14 posted on 02/03/2005 9:50:53 AM PST by TheRightGuy (ERROR CODE 018974523: Random Tagline Compiler Failure)
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To: Smogger

Don't know where you are but this type of thing is anything but typical where I live. Students, parents and athletes are expected to behave with the consequences severe if they don't.


15 posted on 02/03/2005 10:21:23 AM PST by swmobuffalo (the only good terrorist is a dead one)
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To: swmobuffalo

Well where do you live and what sports do you watch?

I have seen these kinds of melees at AYSO girls soccer games, not to mention little league.


16 posted on 02/03/2005 10:30:31 AM PST by Smogger
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To: GeneralStorm

I only live about 30 min. from P'ville. Didn't hear about this until this morning when Rick and Bubba talked about it on their radio program. I mean what in the world started this melee?


17 posted on 02/03/2005 10:31:13 AM PST by EmilyGeiger
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To: GeneralStorm

Just another fun game of BasketBrawl.


18 posted on 02/03/2005 1:03:38 PM PST by GaltMeister (The only time a Democrat should be allowed in the White House is to visit the President.)
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To: Smogger

I live in a rural area. Highschool sports are big here. Good sportsmanship is the rule not the exception doesn't matter whether its boys or girls. Some grownups have tried to push the issue but they're either shown the rule book or the door.


19 posted on 02/03/2005 8:20:48 PM PST by swmobuffalo (the only good terrorist is a dead one)
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