"Worst fears as an educator": Riverbend High School fight sparks concern online

On Tuesday, January 17, Reddit user DigitalDemon021 posted footage of a brawl at Riverbend High school in Spotsylvania, Virginia, that may have left a teen paralyzed.

Disclaimer: The following video contains depictions of violence that may be disturbing to some viewers. Discretion is advised.

Footage of the incident shows several teens in a mass brawl in the hallway of Riverbend High School. At one point, two young boys in track pants and dark jackets can be seen exchanging punches before one of the students picks up the other and slams him on the floor.

In the aftermath of the slam, the student thrown can be seen lying motionless as the other teens continue to fight around him. Eventually, adults can be seen entering the scene and attempting to help the teenager while teachers try to stop the other students from fighting.

In response, Reddit user DeadEyeDraw described the brawl as a nightmare-ish situation. The user commented:

"A fight like this is one of my worst fears as an educator. Seeing one of my kids slammed like this, by another one of my kids is a heartbreaking thought."

Riverbend High School has not released an official statement regarding the incident. The names of the teens involved, including the boy who fell unconscious after the slam, remain undisclosed.

---

Netizens respond to the Riverbend High School brawl

In response to the video of the fight, which has since gone viral, many netizens noted that it appeared that the teen slammed in the video may have experienced a seizure. Reddit user numberrjuan commented:

"Was the dude on the floor having a seizure? I feel bad for the teachers there bro."

Twitter user Paula Jones stated that fights at Riverbend are frequent:

"My daughter goes to this school and fights are frequent and it was several fights at the same time … please pray for all the kids involved"

In light of the claims that violence was routine at the high school, many netizens expressed sympathy for the teachers, who supposedly have to break up fights regularly. Some users noted that the teachers attempting to stop the teens were middle-aged, with one woman appearing to be a senior.

While the status of the student who was injured in the video remains unclear, one Reddit user, RosesSpins, noted that the position of his body may have indicated that he sustained a major head injury:

"What he was doing is called a "Fencer's Pose" or a "Fencer's Seizure." It is indicative of a severe traumatic brain injury. Paralyzation is going to be the least of this young man's problems. This is horrifying to watch."

The reason behind the Riverbend High School brawl remains unknown.