Violence mars high school football game for 2nd week in a row

Gunfire injured a 21 and 18 year old male just outside Richfield High School’s football game Friday night, resulting in the cancellation of the game in the 4th quarter. See the press release on the incident here.

This was the second week in a row that authorities had to cancel a metro area football game in progress due to violence. Last Friday during Edina’s homecoming game a group of teens engaged in brawling throughout the concourse area of the stadium, and several were arrested, before the game was cancelled. Read about this incident here.

These incidents come on the heals of approximately 15 “swatting” incidents throughout the state this week in which a caller(s) falsely reported to 911 that an active shooter incident was going on at a school – all with the intention of creating a massive law enforcement response. Swatting incidents are some odd form of thrill seeking for some, but they are anything but thrilling for first responders and obviously create the potential for horrible tragedy. Law enforcement is working to identify and prosecute the suspect(s). Find that story here.

All of this criminal activity demonstrates a breakdown in the respect for authority and the respect for law and order in our society.

Our kids watch, listen, and act accordingly. The past two and half years of bashing law enforcement and undermining our criminal justice system has come home to roost.