DAYTON — Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Daniel Cummings as a Dayton school resource officer. He was working concessions at the stadium when the incident happened last week. A school resource officer was the person who made a non-emergency call into Montgomery County Regional Dispatch asking for assistance.
Dayton Public Schools has issued a response to a claim that a large group of young people jumped and repeatedly hit a teenager at Welcome Stadium during a football game last Friday night.
The school district’s statement was that there were about 100 young people running back and forth in the parking lot after the game, but insisted there was only one student threatening or hitting anyone else.
>> RELATED: Woman says teens assaulted her at Welcome Stadium
News Center 7 obtained audio from a phone call into Montgomery County dispatchers from a Dayton school resource officer indicating something different took place at the stadium:
“Hey can you swing a couple cars through Welcome Stadium? We’ve got some kids out here in the lot that are fighting.
“. . . Right now there’s two groups of about 50 to 60 kids.
“. . . How many are fighting, I can’t tell.”
Daniel Cummings a concession worker at the stadium told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell that some stayed in the stadium, some stayed in the parking, but there were going to be more fights if police didn’t come. Cummings said he was working the concession stand and the scene was chaotic.
Dozens of Dayton police cars rolled in, along with University of Dayton police and Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies after the 9-1-1 call.
“I couldn’t believe it, it was pretty chaotic for a football game,” he said.
His mother, Danielle, was the first to tell News Center 7 about what happened as the game ended.
She said she and her 14-year-old son were hit repeatedly as they tried to protect a 15-year-old Ponitz High School student from a large group of other teens attacking her.
DPS, in its statement, said at no point did a fight occur in the stands or inside the stadium.
Fighting in the parking lot has been reported at one other game this year.
News Center 7′s Mike Campbell reported that when he requested video from inside the concession stand area or from outside the stadium or in the parking lot, the district reported having no records in response to this news organization’s request.
Cummings said, " I have not seen one camera. I’ve been here for about years now. I have never seen a camera here.”
Cummings said cameras might deter some of the things he’s seen taking place at the stadium. . . and cameras might also help school or police investigators identify any student or adult involved in dangerous behavior.
News Center 7 is continuing to press Dayton Public Schools leaders for their plans to try to stop scenes like the one from Friday night.
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