Clairton police to charge a dozen people in basketball brawl
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A brawl that cleared the benches this month at a high school boys basketball game between Monessen and Clairton has resulted in pending charges of disorderly conduct against a dozen people.
Clairton police announced the charges Friday after investigators reviewed videos provided by Clairton City School District and fans who were at the Feb. 6 game that ended up being called off early because of the fight.
“Throughout the course of the investigation, victims who were assaulted were given an opportunity to come forward so that officers can properly charge those responsible for causing injury,” Clairton police Chief Robert W. Hoffman stated in a news release.
“As of this date, not one victim has come to police,” Hoffman said.
The disorderly conduct charges were pending against eight residents of Clairton, three of whom are juveniles. Three of the four Monessen residents facing charges are juveniles.
The adults from Clairton who are facing a charge of disorderly conduct are Devlin Clifford, 18, twins Andre and Andrew Carr, 31, John Sanders, 23, and Christopher Verlich, 19.
Barry Floyd, 22, is the only adult from Monessen who is facing the charge, according to Clairton police.
Police said the fight initially involved one player from each team at the Clairton Education Center gymnasium. The fight quickly escalated to involve a large portion of spectators.
The Allegheny County district attorney’s office recommended the charges, Clairton police said.
The fight prompted the WPIAL to place both districts’ athletics programs on probation for five years. If either district’s teams violate the probation, they will lose championship rights and scheduling for two years.
In addition, no fans will be permitted to attend if Monessen and Clairton play in boys basketball, and those games would take place at 4 p.m. The sports governing body also placed restrictions on the two schools for the current WPIAL playoffs.
Monessen Superintendent Lianne Spazak has said she believed the punishment was too severe and that she planned to appeal it to the PIAA.