A group of students at Abington Senior High School were arrested after a fight broke out on Thursday morning shortly before 11:30 a.m., police said in a statement.
The fight happened in the cafeteria and ended when an Abington Police School Resource Officer, school staff and the school's security team stepped in.
Investigators say that a video circulating on social media shows fists flying between two groups of students with a known history that's been escalating ever since a 16-year-old classmate was killed in Philadelphia earlier this year.
"As a result of the altercation, additional Abington Police were called to the scene, and the eight students involved were transported to the police station," the school district said in a statement to NBC10.
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The eight students involved - all under the age of 18 - were charged with riot and simple assault charges, according to police. Two more students are expected to be charged as well.
"We will continue to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. Altercations will never be tolerated at Abington Senior High School," principal Angelo Berrios said in a statement to the school community.
Police in Abington are investigating the fight and what led up to it. According to police, there were no serious injuries during the incident.
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Local activists tell NBC10 that they've been sounding the alarm for a while and want the community to step up.
Over the past few weeks, Salem Baptist Church of Abington pastor Marshall Mitchell recruited about 60 mentors who will work with teens, many of whom are involved in fights. They plan on using therapeutic psychological and psychiatric resources to reach the teens in the hope they won't resort to violence again.
“What we’re trying to do is help people understand reality versus the surreal nature of social media," Mitchell said.
If you have any information about what happened, please call School Resource Officer Jordan Jones at 267-536-1074.
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