THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 26, 1996 TAG: 9610260485
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHIC RIEBEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 62 lines
A halftime ``battle of the bands'' turned into just that Friday night as the marching bands from I.C. Norcom and Booker T. Washington engaged in two brawls at the conclusion of their performances during an Eastern District football game between the two schools.
Approximately a half-dozen people were treated at the scene for injuries. Two people were taken to the Childrens Hospital of The King's Daughters hospital for treatment, said Larry Hill, a police spokesman. But neither was injured in fighting. They were suffering breathing problems, similar to an asthmatic reaction, he said, and ``most likely a reaction to pepper gas'' used in the process of quelling the melee.
Hill said paramedics were later called to a residence to check on two people who apparently had gotten caught up in the fight. They were not taken to the hospital.
Hill said late Friday that only one person, a 20-year-old Portsmouth man, was taken into custody and charged after the fight.
LaSalle Boone of the 2500 block of Des Moines Ave. was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer and one count of disorderly conduct.
Additionally, one man was issued a summons charging him with trespassing. He was not arrested.
The fight, which took place in front of more than 3,000 fans and several television cameras, started just moments after the Booker T. band left the field. The Norcom band, which played first, sat on the track of the Booker T. side of the field to watch the Bookers' performance. When Booker T., which leaves the field at a trot, came to the sidelines, some pushing, shoving and shouting ensued between the bands.
It quickly escalated into a full-scale melee on the track as instruments and punches were thrown. It took more than five minutes and the use of Mace for the 20 city policemen on duty at the game to restore order. The Norcom band was escorted to the opposite side of the field.
However, the Norcom band no sooner reached the other side when some members charged back through the end zone and another brawl erupted. This time, spectators leaped over the fence to participate. Although there were eight additional police units now on the scene, the fighting lasted nearly 10 minutes.
This time the Norcom band was taken from the stadium by police to their bus across the street and the Booker T. band was sent to the school. After sitting in the parking lot for about a half hour, the Norcom band left for Portsmouth.
Joel R. Wagner, the principal of Booker T., who was at the game, said he didn't see how the fight started.
``My main concern is getting the injured kids treated. We will have to investigate what happened.''
Neither band leader was available for comment.
``All it was was just an emotional moment,'' Hill said. ``Basically, not a whole lot happened.'' MEMO: Staff writer Steve Stone contributed to this report. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
MIKE HEFFNER
The Virginian-Pilot
Two spectators are subdued by police after a fight broke out between
the Norcom and Booker T. bands at halftime.
KEYWORDS: ARREST INJURIES ASSAULT by CNB