9/29/2009 11:29:00 PM Dangerous disobedience Police chief says backyard fights could have serious consequences
Marney Simon Staff writer
The arrest of two Reed-Custer High School students and a parent has some local parents up in arms, accusing police of turning backyard horseplay into a criminal activity. But police say that so-called horseplay is really an illegal activity that's potentially deadly.
The incident started with a call to a Braidwood home on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Braidwood police officers were responding to a report that there was a fight happening at the residence, but upon arrival, the participants of the fight had scattered.
The following day, video of the alleged fight was obtained by the Braidwood police. The investigation that followed eventually led to the arrests. It was those arrests that prompted some parents to speak out.
"To my knowledge, our police department responded to a call at a home on Sept. 16 where a group of people were supposedly doing Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), also known as mixed martial arts," resident Linda Santerelli told the Braidwood City Council on Sept. 20. "My biggest concern over this incident is why the two boys were arrested, and when and where the arrest took place."
Santerelli and another parent, Tonya Boyer, were upset that the teens were arrested at school. The pair added that they believed the fight to just be backyard horseplay, and questioned police involvement.
Acting Police Chief Brandon Myers, however, says the characterization of the fight as "horseplay" is wrong.
"It is unfortunate that some adults are viewing this as simple horseplay, the children can be seriously injured or could be potentially be killed by performing these stunts," Myers said.
Myers and Santerelli were both referring to UFC-style mixed martial arts. Mixed martial arts is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques, including grappling, punching and kicking, both standing up and on the ground. Myers, who is a 5th degree black belt in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do, a 4th degree black belt in the Okinawan art of Ken-KyushoJutsu Ryu karate, and a certified Self Defense instructor in Brazilian JiuJitsu, said the sport is nothing to mess around with, as it can cause serious injury and even death. Myers added that the investigation suggested that the fight was not an isolated incident, and several high schoolers have been participating in these UFC-style backyard matches since early summer.
"Very few [of the teenage participants] have any training whatsoever and do not know the limitations of their actions," Myers explained. "Even professional fighters are seriously injured through full contact fighting after training for years. These kids are performing chokes using the carotid artery, and chokes using the trachea which both can be vitally injured with just a small amount of pressure. They are using joint manipulations that can cause breaks with the wrong type of manipulation or a small amount of resistance. The kids are kicking and punching each other with full force and this too can cause serious injury or death even accidentally. I am sure that no one would appreciate this type of life changing experience. It is not simple horseplay."
In fact, the decision to try out such fighting techniques has already had deadly consequences in other parts of the country. In 2001, a 14-year old Florida boy was sentenced to life in prison for killing a 6-year-old girl while performing the moves associated with mixed martial arts. According to the Associated Press, Lionel Tate, who said he idolized various wrestlers, body slammed, kicked and knee dropped Tiffany Eunick, resulting in her death. Tiffany's injuries included a fractured skull, a lacerated liver, fractured ribs and a swollen brain. Tate's conviction was later overturned on the basis that he had not had a mental health evaluation during trial. Rather than face trial again, he pled to second degree murder and was sentenced to one year of house arrest and 10 years of probation. Tate, now 22, is currently in prison in Florida for violating that probation.
Myers said it's this extreme consequence that parents need to think about before they let their children fight without proper training.
"If these children want to participate in this activity then they can join a wrestling club, boxing school or a karate school, but full contact fighting has never been a legal activity on the streets or in the backyards in Braidwood, even if it is concentual," Myers said. "It is reckless and extremely dangerous. I have been training and teaching martial arts for nearly 30 years and I would not participate in this reckless behavior."
Still, parents are unsure what this means for their kids.
"I also wanted to get a clear understanding of the laws the arrests were made under," Santerelli said. "Does this mean if a group of people are playing around, and/or practicing marital arts of any form - wrestling, boxing, et cetera - or just horsing around, even with your own child in public, could you be arrested in someone calls the police department?"
Santerelli went on to ask if a pick-up basketball or football game in the yard could result in criminal prosecution. Santerelli even printed flyers indicating that karate, wrestling or boxing could land someone on jail.
Myers said the comparison of the fight he saw on video to kids just horsing around is inaccurate.
"I really do not know how to respond to the question of whether children will be arrested for having a pick up basketball game in their driveway or other activities such as that," Myers said. "The question is ridiculous and does not even relate to kids fighting full contact using specific techniques with a purpose of knocking the other person unconscious or with a purpose of killing the other person."
The three people arrested were charged with local ordinance violations for reckless conduct and disturbing the peace. Myers said the police won't hesitate to intervene again if more fights are brought to their attention.
"This is a serious matter and I will make sure that there is an arrest every time we learn of a fight," Myers said. "In the future people watching and encouraging this illegal activity will be arrested and charged as well."
Myers is also a former member of the board of directors and technical advisor to the International Christian Martial Arts Association. He teaches martial arts seminars throughout the country, and has even penned a book on martial arts.
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Article comment by:
af
I am amazed that there would be a comparison between an 14yo vs. 6yo and two teenagers matched in age, size and gender- doesn't make sense! Proof that police need to be college educated and critical thinkers.
Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Article comment by:
GH
Seems to me like RC High school and our local police department dropped the ball on this , It was the week before this took place when the Comets were gearing up to face the Wildcats when word got out during school that this was going to take place for the first time following school and the students were told by coaches and teachers alike "OK but Don't get hurt we are going to need you boys for the game ." To call this a UFC or even to compare it to the UFC is like comparing RC Football to the NFL ! This was not full contact in any way shape or form. These kids were not out to hurt or possible kill anyone the way the chief would like us all to believe. Obviously the police knew who the kids involved were so why did they arrest them during school for a incident that took place away from school ? They couldn't wait until the end of the day ?? The way the boys were treated during the arrest makes one feel or ask the question as to who are The police protecting and serving here ? These are not bad kids, Just boy's being boys . The subconscious results from the way the arrest took place did far more harm than anything the boys had done to each other . What ever happened to a sit down and talk with all parties involved ? No... Not in Braidwood , Just lock them up , that's the way we deal with kids here ! It's fine to send a message, I just think of what kind of message did the kids get from our police department and school from this. A large lack of trust in both is all I have seen happening. In the day and age we live in when it comes to needing our children's trust to stem off things like guns being brought to schools ect. we all need that line of trust to remain open !! I just hope that if needed our children will show and act in the correct manner regardless of the way those who were responsible for their Education and the protection of our society acted.
