what? no references to this one yet?
Posted on 09/20/2005 9:10:11 AM PDT by Rutles4Ever
It sounded like something out of a teen competition movie such as "Drumline" or "Bring it On."
But the brawl that broke out Saturday night at McAdams Park following a spontaneous "dance-off" wasn't a movie scene, and police and city officials on Monday were sorting through the aftermath that left one person hurt and two others -- a mother and a son -- facing criminal charges.
"This is a whole new arena" of crime, said Lt. Jeff Easter of the Wichita Police Department's gang and felony assault section.
The Dancing Steppers, a local drill team, was practicing routines at McAdams Park near 13th and I-135 on Saturday night when members of another drill team, the White Tigers, showed up and challenged the others to what was described as a "dance-off," police said.
When it became clear the challengers were losing, Easter said, a 28-year-old woman struck a 17-year-old drummer with the Dynamic Steppers in the face with a drum stick. The teen, who had left the White Tigers recently to join the Dynamic Steppers, retaliated by punching her in the face. He then ran toward his Ford Explorer and tried to run over spectators with it, witnesses told police.
The boy's mother, who served as a coach of the Dynamic Steppers, grabbed a box cutter and sliced the other woman's right arm, Easter said. The wound required eight stitches.
An estimated 50 people were involved in the altercation, although only two people were facing charges on Monday.
The mother was booked on suspicion of aggravated battery for cutting the other woman, Easter said, and the son faces charges of simple assault and aggravated assault.
Police said additional charges are possible.
Larry Foos, director of parks and recreation for the city, said a park employee told him the Dynamic Steppers had been practicing earlier in the day not far from Barry Sanders Field, but their whistles were confusing players in a youth league football game under way on the field.
The drill team was asked to move to another part of the park so their whistles would not interfere with the football game, Foos said.
"There was no conflict at all from that," he said. "They understood completely."
The brawl won't lead to changes in access or activities at the park, Foos said. To do that, he said, would be "an over-reaction" to Saturday's fight.
"I just believe this is one of those crazy, isolated incidents that happen once in a while," Foos said. "Thankfully, these incidents are rare."
Police may be asked to step up patrols at the park after ball games, he said, to discourage confrontations.
No one puts rock58seg in the corner.
what? no references to this one yet?
Insert your own "widescreen" joke here. ;o)
ping
Now that was funny!
Don't forget the futuristic robot from 1984
The guy who played Disco Rick is named "Har Mar Superstar."
Mugatu simply rules.
And then he just Beat It!
Yeah! Just Beat It!
OOOOOoooooo!
EeeeeeHEEE!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.