Two people were arrested Friday after they wielded a pair of hand-held axes and a knife during a fight with a Lakewood High School student just outside of campus, school officials said.
A spokesperson with the Long Beach Unified School District said the student had just finished his classes for the day and was walking home around 2 p.m. when two people described only as male individuals approached him just outside of the north campus. The individuals were not Lakewood High students, the spokesperson said.
A fight broke out between the student and the two other males, who pulled out two hand-held axes and a knife, school officials said.
Staff members who witnessed the fight quickly intervened and detained the two male individuals holding weapons, school officials said.
A video posted on X shows a crowd of students gathered around the fight, many of whom start to scatter when the weapons are pulled out.
Nobody was injured during the fight, and LBUSD spokesperson Elvia Cano said the quick action from school staff likely prevented the situation from quickly getting worse.
In an email sent to parents and staff, school officials said the two male individuals were taken into custody by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies.
The LASD said the two suspects were “former juvenile students.” They said the suspects tried fleeing the area after assaulting the student but were detained by campus police before deputies took them into custody on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
The LASD also contradicted the school district, saying the student was injured during the fight and treated by paramedics at the scene.
In the message to the Lakewood High community, school officials said that the safety and well-being of students is a top priority and that LBUSD school safety would be providing additional patrols around the campus.
“As the safety and security of our campus are paramount, this incident provides the opportunity to speak with your child about making positive choices and to remind them to tell an adult if they are experiencing issues with other students or non-students,” school officials said. “Counselors are available for students who may need support.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated to show the LBUSD said nobody was injured in the fight, but the LASD said the student was injured.