Tension Too High After Fatal Brawl Meeting Ends Quickly After Shouts, Criticism

A community meeting called to address concerns about a fatal schoolyard brawl got off to a rocky start with angry criticism from parents and students.

The gathering came to an abrupt end when two teenage girls started screaming and cursing at each other.

At issue was a melee outside a Summit elementary school Monday afternoon in which 17-year-old Aaron Ducharme of Puyallup was fatally stabbed. Three other boys were wounded in the fight, which involved dozens of students from both the Franklin Pierce and Puyallup school districts.

The session began with presentations from school officials and police, but tensions were high from the outset.

Parents and students angrily criticized both law enforcement and school officials.

Teens who said they witnessed the stabbing screamed at police, begging them to arrest the youth they believe killed Ducharme.

“What more do you want to do to lead to an arrest?” asked student Bonnie Snell. “Nobody’s doing anything.”

About 300 students, parents, police and school officials turned out for the Wednesday night meeting at Puyallup High School.

Minutes after the girls’ shouting match began, police and emergency vehicles were at the school entrance. Police, security guards and Puyallup school officials hustled the two girls out of the building.

Their high-pitched spat ended the meeting.

Earlier, parents complained that Puyallup High is unsafe, blaming Principal Linda Quinn for failing to suspend the teen in question when he was recently caught with a knife.

“My senior daughter is afraid to be at school,” Maryanne Straling said. “People are being intimidated.”

“It’s not safe and I’m not sending my son back here,” Debbie Sensky said.

Others said gang problems are ignored.

“It is escalating. We need to stop it,” said Crystal Fritz, who said her son is in a gang.