CANAL WINCHESTER, Ohio — Four teens were charged and three guns were recovered following a fight at the Canal Winchester and Groveport Madison football game Friday evening at Canal Winchester High School, according to the Madison Township Police Department.
In a statement released Saturday by police, Madison Township officers intervened in a physical altercation, which led to the recovery of three modified firearms.
Police said three teens were charged with carrying a concealed weapon and conveyance or possession of a deadly weapon in a school safety zone. A fourth teen was charged with menacing and disorderly conduct from the incident.
All three weapons recovered from the individuals were modified to be fully automatic, police said.
None of the individuals charged are students at either school. There were also no reported injuries.
Following the incident, Canal Winchester and Groveport Madison officials sent out a statement to families in both districts.
The statement said the following:
"At this evening’s football game, Madison Township police arrested three individuals in possession of guns, ensuring the safety of all involved and without any complications.
The individuals arrested are not students at either school. It is both unacceptable and alarming for anyone to bring weapons to a high school football game; the safety of the students, staff, and spectators is our top priority.
Officers on duty at the game enacted our safety plans to break up a fight shortly before 8 p.m. While removing the individuals involved from the stadium, officers and administrators noticed suspicious behavior from one of the individuals who was now outside of the stadium. Officers searched the individual and confiscated a concealed weapon. Officers immediately continued searching other individuals and confiscated weapons from two more people. Four guns were confiscated in total and all three individuals were arrested and taken into custody.
Additional officers quickly responded to the stadium and determined that it would be safe to finish the game and then make sure all attendees left the stadium immediately when the game was over. Administrators from both schools and officers from Madison Township Police Department, Groveport Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office ensured the safety of all in attendance as crowds left the game.
The events at tonight’s game are both scary and frustrating. Our students deserve to attend games with their friends and make memories without fearing for their safety. The Canal Winchester Local School District and Groveport Madison Local School District both condemn the actions of the few individuals who created this disturbance and showed incomprehensible disregard for the safety of our school communities.
We are grateful to the officers who were at tonight’s game for their assistance, bravery, and quick response to ensure the safety of our students, families, staff, and communities. Over the past month, officers from Madison Township Police, Groveport Police, and Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office have collaborated with Canal Winchester and Groveport Madison administrators to proactively plan for the safety of our teams and fans at tonight’s game. Their commitment to putting safety measures in place before the game and quick execution of the safety response plan ensured that no one was injured during tonight’s game.
As educational leaders, we want to assure you that our top priority is the safety of your children, as well as the staff, families, and residents who are part of our school community. Just as we have over the last year, we plan to continue to work together to make sure our students have the opportunity to safely enjoy their high school experiences like football games. We will share more information this week about our safety plans for the rest of the season and will continue to keep you updated about important safety matters at our schools."
This incident comes almost exactly a year after shots were fired at the football game between these two schools during the 2022 season which saw two men detained, and one charged with second-degree improper discharge of a firearm and second-degree inducing panic.
Editor's Note: This article was updated to adhere to WBNS' policy on reporting names of arrested juveniles who have not been charged.