MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A disturbing video is going viral of teenagers duking it out inside a Midtown Burger King on Poplar.
Police said it involved Northwest Prep students before school started.
WREG discovered this is just a glimpse of what’s been going on.
A series of videos uploaded online this year shows mobs of teens in school uniforms fighting in or around Northwest Prep.
Those involved in the fights were too scared to talk.
No one with Burger King would go on camera either, and BP employees would only say fights happen weekly.
Businesses and folks who live in the area said students get out of school and hang out at nearby businesses until the bus arrives.
That’s when the trouble begins.
“Once school lets out and the kids go to the gas station or Burger King, something happens,” said Detric Golden who has been volunteering at the school.
He said it’s nothing new, kids get into fights, but the situation at this school is different since it’s an alternative school.
Kids from across the city go here.
“Whatever beef they have in their neighborhoods, they can possibly bring it to our school,” he said.
Golden said staff has been patrolling the sidewalks before and after school.
“How far do we walk them home? Once we let out, whose responsibility is it from that point on? The community and city need to step up,” said Golden.
WREG didn’t see any security guards at nearby businesses, and folks in the area said police are rarely seen when the trouble happens.
“I’d hate to be at the BP getting gas or a cold drink or something, and then have a riot break out like that,” said Steven Jones, who lives next to the school.
“I think it’s just outrageous,” said another neighbor.
Golden said what’s outrageous is no one seemed to come up with a long-term solution to help these kids when they were involved in a mob attack at the BP last April.
“What happens: bad things happen, and there’s uproar. The city reacts, and once it dies down, it’s business as usual. The kids know that,” said Golden.
WREG asked police if they’ve seen the videos and if they are taking any action, and they said they are looking into it.
Shelby County Schools never responded, but they are on Spring Break.
Golden has worked with students for months organizing and running an after-school basketball program at Northwest Prep called A-Team.
Golden, a former Memphis Tigers basketball player, said participants have shown improvements in their grades and their attitudes.
He hopes more people volunteer, so he can expand the program.
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