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<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; A 40-second video of the melee inside the Plains Alternative Learning Center earlier this week shows a faculty member trying to break up the fight and the school&#8217;s resource officer being pummeled in the legs.</p><p>The video posted on social media appears to have been recorded on a cell phone by a student. It was initially posted on Instagram and then to Facebook, where it was approaching 100 shares as of Friday afternoon.</p><p>Plains Township police reported the fight Wednesday involved approximately 30 people. A teacher was injured and was treated at a local hospital, and a township police officer was punched in the jaw by a student.</p><p>Seven juveniles were taken into custody, police said, with three observed by reporters being escorted out of the school in handcuffs.</p><p>Township police Chief James O&#8217;Malley said Friday the Luzerne Intermediate Unit is handling the investigation. The LIU coordinates the school.</p><p>More than two dozen law enforcement officers responded to the building on West Carey Street.</p><p>The video shows two males getting ready to fight while a group of students surround them in a hallway. Once the two males go at it, they bounce off lockers and a faculty member jumps in to separate those involved and bear-hugs a student from behind while falling to the floor.</p><p>A school resource officer attempts to pull students from a pile and is kicked several times in the legs. A girl on the floor appears to get kicked in the head.</p><p>The video does not show the township police officer being punched.</p><p>The school serves area students who have had trouble performing in a traditional classroom setting.</p><p>LIU Executive Director Anthony Grieco and Plains program director Ron Musto did not return messages for comment Friday.</p><p>Earlier this year, David Royster, 18, a student at the school, was charged by LIU police after a female student alleged he molested her in a hallway. She claimed Royster shoved her to a hallway corner, placed his hand over her mouth, and molested her while saying he wanted her to have his babies, according to a criminal complaint.</p><p>After the alleged assault, she claimed Royster and his friends threatened her.</p><p>Royster faces two counts of indecent assault and one count each of intimidation of a witness or victim and corruption of minors.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Police leave the Alternative Learning Center in Plains Township after a fight Wednesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_TTL052418SchoolRiot2.cmyk_-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Police leave the Alternative Learning Center in Plains Township after a fight Wednesday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><videoMeta><p><table class="mceItemTable" style="border:none;width:98%;"><tbody><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoID:</td><td id="videoid" style="width:50em;font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoType:</td><td id="videotype" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">URL:</td><td id="url" style="font-size:90%;">https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Luzerne-County_-Chit-Chat-News-has-11193-members.-Luzerne-County_-Chit-Ch&#8230;.mp4</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Embed String:</td><td id="videoembedstring" style="font-size:90%;"> &lt;iframe src=&#8221;&lt;iframe src=&#8221;https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Luzerne-County_-Chit-ChatNews-has-11-193-members..mp4&#8221;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&#8221;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Caption:</td><td id="videocaption" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Credit:</td><td id="videocredit" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Position:</td><td id="videoposition" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="margin-top:10px;font-size:70%;color:#555;">(use the &#8220;for files&#8230;&#8221; link above to associate attached files with this source)</p></videoMeta></div>

Video surfaces of fight at Plains school