Brawl Involving High School Students Results in Arrest

A 45-year-old man has been taken into custody after a physical altercation occurred during a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas, reportedly involving high school students. The incident, which many witnessed, was largely documented on video.

Buda police confirmed that Chad Michael Watts, hailing from Kyle, was charged with two counts of assault causing bodily harm as of Tuesday.

According to snippets shared by law enforcement, students from Mo Johnson High School and Gene Johnson High School participated in a “strike” protest on Monday afternoon, just before police arrived at the scene around 3 p.m. Buda is situated roughly 20 minutes southwest of Austin.

Upon arrival, officers reported an incident involving a teenage girl on the sidewalk and an adult male in a vehicle. This initially singular confrontation rapidly escalated into a broader confrontation among several individuals.

Although the man left before officers could intervene, he was soon located and questioned by the police. Neither party was arrested at that moment, as officers did not directly witness the fight.

However, a subsequent investigation identified Watts as the primary aggressor and provided sufficient grounds to file the two assault charges, classified as Class A misdemeanors.

As of Wednesday morning, Watts remained in Hays County Jail with no set bail or scheduled release date.

Authorities have stated that their inquiry is ongoing, focusing on collecting additional evidence, including the original video footage captured by onlookers. Matt Seema, a spokesperson for Buda police, emphasized the importance of understanding the full context of the situation: “In law enforcement, we often get video clips that begin at a certain point. It’s crucial to know what led up to that moment.”

In this case, it appears the verbal spat between the adult man and the juvenile escalated into violence. Videos from varying perspectives show the man swinging at the girl, followed by moments where he and a group of students engaged in a chaotic brawl, which included punches and shouts related to the protest theme.

Details remain murky regarding the initial trigger for the confrontation, and authorities are continuing to investigate. They encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward, providing contact details for anonymous tips.