SAN DIEGO -- Four juveniles and an 18-year-old man were taken into custody after a school detective struggled with an armed boy at a public high school in the Spring Valley area.
The incident began at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday while classes were in session at Mount Miguel High School at 8585 Blossom Lane, San Diego sheriff’s Lt. Tim Curran said.
School Resource Detective Joe Sherman observed a 14-year-old boy on the campus whom he did not recognize as a student. He attempted to contact and detain the boy, who put up a struggle, Curran said.
During the struggle, Sherman noticed the boy had a large knife sheath slung over his shoulder, he said.
The two struggled to the ground when a man and three juveniles -- at least one of whom was a girl -- came to the aid of the boy by kicking and hitting Sherman, Curran said.
Sherman was able to call for help. Several sheriff’s units responded to the scene. As he continued to struggle, school staff members came to his aid, including a teacher, who was bitten during the melee, Curran said. Sheriff’s units arrived and restored order to the campus.
The four juveniles were taken into custody on suspicion of battery on a school official, battery on a peace officer, resisting a peace officer by threat or violence, participating in a lynching and possession of a knife on school grounds, Curran said.
“This type of incident is extremely rare at this school,” he said.
The juveniles were taken to a juvenile detention facility. Darryl Jackson, 18, was booked into county jail, Curran said.
The 14-year-old boy with the knife was not a student at Mount Miguel High School, Curran said, adding that it was not immediately known whether any of the other participants in the melee were students.
It was also not immediately known why the boy was on the campus with a knife, he said.