UPDATE: Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 at 6:25 p.m.
The number of students arrested following Wednesday's schoolyard fight at Righetti High School in Santa Maria jumped to nine on Thursday.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Kelly Hoover says three additional students were arrested, including two girls and one boy. The students are facing charges of battery and assault on a peace officer. The Sheriff's Office anticipates more arrests to follow as evidence is reviewed.
Hoover says the incident caught on video (see below) showing a deputy in an altercation with students is under review, but the office believes the deputy was justified in his actions.
"The deputy was defending himself, he was surrounded by this group of females who were attacking him," said Hoover. "You can tell when you look at the video, he wasn't intentionally trying to punch this female, he was shoving her away and during that process she was knocked to the ground"
Hoover says the incident was captured from several angles. School was back in session Thursday at Righetti with an increased law enforcement presence.
Original Story:
Classes were cancelled Wednesday afternoon at Santa Maria's Righetti and St. Joseph High Schools after a major fight broke out.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office says six people are in custody. Santa Maria Police, CHP, and Sheriff's deputies all responded to the Righetti campus shortly after 12:30 p.m.
Spokesperson Kelly Hoover says the fight started at Righetti, but both campuses were placed on lockdown.
Students were being escorted off campus to the Y.O.Y.O (Your Orcutt Youth) Center by law enforcement. Parents can pick up their children there, according to Hoover.
The Santa Maria Times has posted this video of a student-police officer altercation at Righetti High School on Wednesday.
http://youtu.be/zpXnZRUSzrs