It was “total chaos” when a group of teenagers refused to leave a football game at Cheyenne Central High School vs. Kelly Walsh High earlier this month, attacked police and clashed with spectators, one witness said.
Witnesses who spoke to Cowboy State Daily on Thursday described a frantic girl repeatedly attacking a cop and punching a coach in the face, two boys fighting near a sheer dropoff, and bystander parents rushing into the fray to restrain violent teens.
The Cheyenne Police Department (CPD) told the public the teens were there from another Cheyenne high school, trying to fight students in the stands. They’d announced on social media they were there to “rage bait” Central High students.
When police asked the teens to leave school property, they refused. Many grabbed, spit, and punched at officers, CPD said.
Police announced Thursday that they're recommended charges against 12 teenagers aged 13 through 17, on allegations including battery, assault of a police officer, trespassing, breach of peace, and interference.
Police are increasing their presences for Cheyenne high school athletic events, the statement says.
Silly String
Judi Lindsay was at the game watching her grandson play football, she told Cowboy State Daily in a Thursday phone interview.
The teams had gone into the half tied 7-7, but Central pulled away with two second-half touchdowns for a 20-7 win.
“We were trying to leave the stadium, to get down to the field to congratulate my grandson,” said Lindsay.
Others had the same idea, but the downward rush halted and “backed up right there” at the base of the stands, she recalled.
Throughout the evening, “a whole lot of kids” on the visitors’ side of the field ran back and forth at the stands’ entrances.
By the end of the game, police converged at the field.
Lindsay saw several people - mostly teen girls – running. Some were spraying cops with silly string, she said.
‘She Would Not Stop’
Jennifer Thorbo, Lindsay’s daughter-in-law, said she descended the stands to find two police officers on scene as the game ended.
One was detaining a teenage girl against a fence.
Another girl kept lunging for the officer and the detained girl, as if she wanted something the girl had, or she wanted to reach or fight the other girl, Thorbo recalled.
Thorbo said she learned that at the same time two boys fought on the hill and one was reportedly in a “chokehold.” But her focus was on the scuffle and people in front of her.
“Will somebody go help, or call the police?” Thorbo said, according to her interview.
Meanwhile, the unrestrained girl “would not stop.” The other officer on scene “was probably trying to help whoever else was fighting, Thorbo added.
A man leapt over the fence and into the fray, and stood between the frantic girl and the officer-detainee duo, said Thorbo. Even that man had an active task, pushing the girl back repeatedly.
“Eventually like four other parents had to stand in between her and the police officer, because she would not stop,” Thorbo said, adding that she was worried about the girl’s behavior.
A man Thorbo recognized as a past coach to her son said something to the relentless girl. She got angry and punched him in the face, Thorbo said. The coach then held the girl in restraint; other parents helped.
Four or five other teens also tried twice to get to the other girls, Thorbo said.
Finally, around 20 more police officers arrived.
Police restrained the frantic girl, she added.
Thorbo said she was in the middle of the fray calling out for more help, but she didn’t touch the girl. The episode lasted a “long time,” probably 15-20 minutes, she said.
‘Just Total Chaos’
Deidre Huggans, a third eyewitness, told Cowboy State Daily she and her family descended the stands after the game and saw “a bunch of kids hitting police officers, and police officers trying to control the situation.”
“It was just total chaos,” said Huggans.
Huggans, like Thorbo, said only two officers were there at first, and “I don’t know how many kids. It was kind of a mess.”
From Huggans’ vantage, one of the two boys struggling on the hill was trying to get to his girlfriend, who was in the fray on the field level.
She said the relentless girl was jumping on the back of the officer who was restraining the other girl. To Huggans, it looked like the relentless girl was trying to help the restrained girl.
“I just saw girls punching police officers,” she said. “It was crazy.”
Not only did more cops arrive, “like everybody” converged: Ambulance, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Laramie County Sheriff’s personnel, “all of them,” said Huggans.
Huggans also corroborated Thorbo’s account that a girl punched a coach in the face.
Other people kept trying to get into the fight.
Huggans said her dad, her 19-year-old daughter and her mom clasped hands and assembled a human fence to block other people trying to get into the struggle.
Huggans said her other daughter, age 12, went to her high school-age brother, a football player on the field.
Meanwhile, said Huggans, a football player’s dad rushed to the boys’ fight on the hill to prevent them from falling down a steep dropoff onto a concrete fireplace pad.
“Everybody was worried about them falling off the hill, onto the concrete,” she said.
The football dad controlled the hilltop fight and no one fell onto the concrete, said Huggans.
This level of violence and drama “was just crazy to me,” said Huggans.
She and her family moved to Cheyenne from a tiny Colorado town about a year ago. At the football game, she added, she was shocked to find what she called a complete lack of control.
Huggans’ son had planned a showy Homecoming-dance invitation to his girlfriend that night, she added.
“He’s trying to do that, and he sees all the ruckus – well that didn’t work out,” said Huggans with a wry chuckle.
Changes 'Round Here
Laramie County School District 1 did not respond to Cowboy State Daily's request for comment by publication.
The district told the media last week, however, that it's implementing new policies for athletic events, to include:
- Admission fees: Students from the home and visiting teams receive free admission with enrollment verification. All others must pay admission or use a family pass.
- Student supervision: Elementary and junior high students must be with a parent or guardian at all times. Unsupervised students may be escorted to their parent or guardian or removed from the venue.
- Prohibited items: No backpacks, outside sporting equipment, balls, bikes, scooters or skateboards.
- Wristbands: For events requiring wristbands, all spectators must wear one. Anyone without a wristband will be asked to leave.
- No reentry: Students who leave the venue may not reenter.
- Expectations: Remain in the stands and support your team. Loitering in restrooms, concession areas or walkways is prohibited.
- Entry decisions: School administration reserves the right to refuse entry.
- Misconduct: Spectators removed for misconduct may be prohibited from attending future events.
CPD's Thursday statement says the district was already working toward tighter restrictions when this incident unfolded.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
