Manor HS lockdown lifted after fights

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) - After what school officials called a "student altercation" broke out at Manor High School , the campus went on lockdown and resulted in seven students being arrested and removed from campus.

"In the cafeteria there was a group all fighting, and it was one girl fighting this one girl," said Jimmy Bueno, a Manor High School student. "Then a couple more of them came, and they started jumping her."

School officials said it was like a wildfire and that several other fights took place simultaneously.

Travis County sheriff's deputies were called to the scene to diffuse the situation. 

"When we got out to the scene, we were confronted with what can be described as a state of confusion," said Capt. Art Cardenas, with the Travis County Sheriff's Office. "We had staff trying to get control of students."

Deputies had to use pepper spray to control the situation. As a result, EMS was called in to aid.

"Several of the students suffered the residual effects of that and were treated by EMS," said Cardenas.

Some 12 students were treated at the school.

The Manor Police Department said all its resources responded to the incident, which school officials said preliminary findings indicated was a result of an off-campus incident that happened Friday night.

Manor ISD lifted the lockdown and allowed student to continue their day after lunch.

Parents were notified through the district's automated phone messaging system of the disturbance. Many student called or text their parents about the incedent.

"I didn't know what was going on," said Edna Mason, a concerned parent who picked her children up just hours after the first fight started. "Lack of information is what scared me. Then I come up here, all these ambulances, and I'm like, 'What the crap is going on?'"

Many parents filled in throughout the day, checking their children out early for safety's sake.

Manor ISD officials said extra security will remain on the campus throughout the week.