Fight delays graduation ceremony at Dowagiac Union High School

During graduations you expect pomp and circumstance, but in Dowagiac there were caps, gowns, and chaos!

Dowagiac’s graduation ceremony took an unexpected turn when a large fight broke out between those in attendance!

Several police departments responded to break up the fight with medics treating an injured 7-year-old.

The fight delayed the celebration for graduates who've worked hard to get their diploma.

Graduation Day is a day many students work hard and wait years. But the long-anticipated celebration was interrupted with a large fight that left many frustrated.

"Yeah, it was it was a little upsetting... definitely, definitely a showstopper if that's what they were trying to do," said an anonymous graduation ceremony attendee.

Dowagiac Union High School students were ready to walk across the stage to get their diploma.

But what they were not ready for was their graduation getting delayed due to a fight.

“We were all distracted for probably like five ten minutes just watching what was all going down trying to figure out like what was happening" said an anonymous graduation ceremony attendee.

Dowagiac Police, along with county, state and Pokagon police, were called to Chris Taylor Field around 3 Sunday afternoon.

A fight broke out near the bleachers involving several people.

A 20-year-old man involved in the fight was taken into custody, as he had a warrant for his arrest. And three teens involved in the fight were also taken into custody.

Officials say an ambulance was called for a 7-year-old who received minor injuries in the fight. But the child's parents declined medical treatment.

People in attendance for their loved one’s graduation say the students should not have had to deal with the disturbance.

“Yeah like if anything if they wanted to handle it at the graduation they could have just walked out of the graduation and did it away so that it didn't take from their moment" said an anonymous graduation ceremony attendee.

Eventually, the graduation went on and students received their diplomas.

But the fighting didn't stop there. Police said they were called out to another fight on Second Avenue related to the graduation fight.

That's when a 21-year-old man was arrested, and a juvenile was taken into custody.

Dowagiac Union Schools Superintendent Greg Blomgren, released a statement in regard to the incident and said in part:

"School administration is working closely with the Dowagiac City Police Department to gather information pertaining to the incident, so all individuals directly involved are held accountable for their actions and the disturbance."

Police say the investigation is ongoing and they’re asking anyone with video or information to come forward.

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