4 juveniles, 1 mom arrested after another Lawrence fight

LAWRENCE, Mass. — Four juveniles and an adult were arrested following a fight near Lawrence High School Wednesday, police said.

The afterschool brawl that broke out at Sullivan Park follows weeks of fights during school hours at the high school. Some of the violence has resulted in injuries, including to school staff.

Wednesday’s fight was broken up by state and local police. The adult who was arrested for disorderly conduct is believed to be the mother of one of the involved students, police said.

The mother who was arrested has been identified as 45-year-old Jacqueline Sabino, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s office.

Sabino faces several charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct, interfering with a police officer, resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer.

Sabino was released on personal recognizance after a court hearing on Thursday and ordered to stay away from Lawrence High School.

“It’s more of the same it’s going to continue to be more the same until we can get more resources at the school and in the community,” said Kimberly Barry, President of the Lawrence Teachers Union. “We don’t have enough staff, we don’t have enough safety officers, not even close.”

Additional police were assigned to the school last week in response to the violence.

In fact, police were already in the area when the fight broke out Wednesday, “as part of the safety plan that has been put in place by the school district and the city,” according to a joint statement by Mayor Kendrys Vasquez and Police Chief Roy Vasque.

Parents, teachers and other community members attended a rally calling for an end to the violence. Mayor Vasquez called an emergency meeting Monday, inviting the school superintendent and state education officials.

“The safety of the students of the Lawrence Public Schools continues to be of paramount importance to Mayor Vasquez and Chief Vasque, as such we will continue to proactively address this issue,” the mayor and chief said in their statement.

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