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Police have not said what led to the fight that ended with the girl slamming her head into the ground multiple times.
CNN
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A Missouri girl was seriously injured in a fight near Hazelwood East High School that was captured on video, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office.
Video of Friday's altercation has since been shared by thousands of people online. It shows the girl being thrown to the ground and punched in the head by another teen, then slamming her head repeatedly against a concrete sidewalk.
The video showed other teens fighting around the injured girl as she lay on the ground shaking.
It is unclear what led to the fight, and police have not released the identities of those involved. However, police spokeswoman Vera Clay said police have confirmed that the viral video is relevant to the investigation.
Mario Naufal/X
The assault victim was left in critical condition after the fight, according to St. Louis County Police.
St. Louis County Police said in a statement Monday that officers responded to a call of a “fight in the area of the intersection of Norgate Drive and Claudine Drive” at 2:32 p.m. Friday.
“Responding officers found a female juvenile with severe head injuries. The victim was transported to an area hospital where she remains in critical condition,” police said in a statement.
A 15-year-old female suspect was arrested Saturday and was being held in St. Louis County Family Court on suspicion of assault, police said.
A police spokesperson said there were no updates on the case as of Thursday.
St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell called the video “sickening” and “difficult to watch.” social media posts Sunday.
Bell said jurisdiction in the case rests with the juvenile court, not his office, adding: “We wish the victim a full recovery.” “This is truly heartbreaking.”
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey called the incident an “evil act” and “a complete disregard for human life.”
“My prayers go out to the victims. The perpetrators should be prosecuted and tried as adults,” Bailey wrote on X. “If the victim dies, the charge will be upgraded to murder. We should,” he said.
It was not immediately clear whether those involved in the fight were students at Hazelwood East High School, which is less than a half-mile from the scene of the fight.
However, the Hazelwood School District said this is “a tragedy anytime children are injured.”
“Bullying and conflict in our community is an issue that we all need to take ownership of and work toward solutions for the benefit of our children,” the school district said in a Facebook post Saturday. .
The district says its crisis management team will provide emotional support to those in need.
“Please pledge to show kindness and respect to the families involved during this difficult time and to work toward the betterment of our entire community,” the district said.