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St. Louis Park High School cancels all classes after fights
The school district said it is gathering more information about the altercations, including if they were racially motivated.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — St. Louis Park Public Schools has closed the St. Louis Park High School on Friday after multiple physical altercations broke out on Thursday.
The school will be closed to all students, families and the public, and all on-site activities, including the girls basketball game and athletic practices, are also canceled, according to the district.
“School is canceled tomorrow to give staff the time needed to thoroughly investigate today’s safety incidents, collaborate with police, and prepare plans for a safe return to school next week,” said a release from the school district.
The school closure was prompted by two separate altercations.
The first occurred at the end of the school day and included two groups of students who engaged in the altercation before teachers and staff responded to the situation, according to the district.
That situation then escalated when adults who were aware of the first altercation “became involved” in another physical altercation with some of the students.
Some students and staff sustained minor injuries including scrapes and bruises and were seen by the school nurse. Two adults were arrested by the police after the incident, according to the release.
The school district said it couldn’t confirm if weapons were involved and is working with law enforcement to determine the scope of the incidents, including if the altercations were racially motivated.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
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KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
