Criminal charges filed against 6 people in fight outside Carver basketball game at Shaw
Criminal charges have been filed against six people involved in last month’s fight outside the Shaw High School gym during a basketball game against Carver High School.
The Muscogee County School District complied Wednesday with the Ledger-Enquirer’s request and released the following list of charges:
- Joycelan Jelks, 37, disorderly conduct and affray
- Antonio Tucker, 38, disorderly conduct
- 17-year-old female, disorderly conduct
- 15-year-old female, disorderly conduct
- 15-year-old-male, disorderly conduct and affray
- 16-year-old-female, disorderly conduct and affray
Georgia law defines affray as a fight between two or more people that disturbs the public tranquility in a public place. Affray and disorderly conduct are misdemeanors, so the maximum penalties for adults are a $1,000 fine and one year in jail. Probation, counseling and community service are common misdemeanor punishments for juveniles.
The three people taken from the Jan. 25 fight to a Columbus hospital were treated for minor injuries and released that night, MCSD Police Chief Greg Arp told the L-E.
The charged suspects were released without being jailed, he said. The status of their cases wasn’t available before publication.
Arp estimated 75-80 people were gathered outside the gym, but only the six suspects who were charged — plus two more suspects MCSD police still are trying to identify — were engaged in the disturbance, he said.
Adults started the fight, Arp said.
“That’s just sad,” he said. “You’ve got individuals coming to support their school and their children, and then something like this occurs by adults, who should know better. … We’re not going to tolerate it.”
MCSD police identified the six suspects through interviews with witnesses and videos of the fight posted on social media or provided to authorities, Arp said. He praised the witnesses who helped the investigation.
“We greatly appreciate everyone’s assistance,” he said.
Arp also thanked the school administration, Columbus Police Department and Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office for their response to the fight.
“Their cooperation was absolutely phenomenal,” he said.
