Mother attacks student, SRO injured in separate school fight, SC sheriff says

Two unrelated school fights occurred within minutes of each other on Friday, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office announced, one of which left a school employee injured.

At approximately 9:15 a.m., a school employee at RE Davis College Preparatory Academy on Eastern School Road contacted dispatch to report an ongoing fight and request assistance.

A juvenile and their mother, 36-year-old Nessia Gibson, attacked another student at the school, the sheriff said. Neither Gibson nor her children had permission to be near the school where the attack occurred.

Gibson was charged with assault and battery and disrupting schools, officials said. She was arrested and transported to the sheriff’s detention center where she awaits a bail hearing. Her child, who was charged with assault, was detained and then released to a family member. They were filed in family court. Gibson’s other child was charged with disorderly conduct in public.

In the other fight at about 9:22 a.m., Lakewood High School administrators called 911 to report an assault. A 17-year-old student allegedly assaulted two students. When a school resource officer attempted to make an arrest, the 17-year-old struck and “injured” the deputy.

The deputy was treated for his wound and released from Prisma Tuomey Hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery, officials said.

The 17-year-old, whose name was not released by the sheriff’s office because of his age, was charged with assault and battery, resisting arrest and assault on a police officer. They have been referred to the Ministry of Juvenile Justice and a petition has been filed in the Family Court.

“Schools should be safe places where our children can learn,” Sheriff Anthony Dennis said in a news release. “To ensure this, we have assigned School Resource Officers to each school and the young people and parents causing disturbances will be held accountable.”