Police have arrested an Oakland man and two teenagers with a replica gun who authorities say planned to help with a fight involving two Berkeley High students on Wednesday.
According to Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats, police learned from Berkeley High earlier in the day about “a group of students from Oakland who were coming to Berkeley to fight.”
School staff, in response, asked students to stay on campus at lunch and limited visitor access to the campus, at 1980 Allston Way.
Coats said police worked with Berkeley High staff and assigned officers to watch the area surrounding the school to help keep the area safe.
During the lunch period, police contacted three Oakland residents — one of whom was later found to have a replica gun — who said they had come to Berkeley to help with a fight between two Berkeley High students, said Coats. Police detained the trio on Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way.
Police detained the two juveniles, a 13-year-old female and a 17-year-old male, on suspicion of truancy, and released them to their parents. During the investigation, police found a replica gun in the male’s waistband.
A 21-year-old man with them, Christopher Pugh, was arrested on suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor. He was taken to Berkeley Jail.
According to online records from the Alameda County sheriff’s department, Pugh had a previous conviction related to robbery, criminal threats and carrying a loaded firearm. He is scheduled for arraignment Thursday, April 30.
One parent said, as of about 4 p.m., “police presence was huge” at the high school but that — according to her son, who she was picking up — there had been no obvious signs of unusual incidents.
Related:
Principal restricts access to Berkeley High because of reports that a fight might break out (04.29.15)
5 arrested at Berkeley High after 15-20 youths fight downtown (02.10.15)
2 Berkeley High students injured, 3 arrested after fights downtown (01.22.15)
BUSD superintendent: ‘We have much more work to do’ (11.06.14)
Op-ed: Admin, students share blame for BHS Rally Day mob (10.29.14)
BHS staffer injured, 15 students suspended, due to 500-strong student mob (10.27.14)
Police, BHS prepare for more ‘havoc’ downtown Friday (05.16.14)
Rowdy high schoolers disrupt Berkeley downtown (05.09.14)
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