Chaos at High School Graduation After Wild Brawl Breaks Out at Ceremony (Video)

A high school graduation ceremony in California’s Central Valley descended into chaos when several graduates began fighting on the football field, sending attendees rushing toward the scene and ending with multiple arrests.

The brawl broke out during a graduation ceremony for Kings Canyon Unified School District’s alternative education programs at Reedley High School’s football stadium.

Cellphone video obtained by ABC7 showed the moment the ceremony was interrupted as graduates’ names were being read.

In the footage, two young men can be seen throwing punches before two others join the confrontation. Another graduate then appears to step in and try to separate them.

Moments later, a second fight appears to break out. More punches are exchanged, and the video shows a woman in a brown shirt striking another person.

The scene quickly drew attention from people in the stands, with attendees rushing onto the field as security and officials worked to restore order.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:

“The whole point of graduating high school is to learn to become a better person as well,” Parlier resident Luis Tapia told ABC7. “I think they should’ve done better. They should’ve known.”

Among those arrested was 19-year-old Adam Velasquez.

Family members told ABC7 that the fight was not gang-related and said Velasquez had worked hard to earn his diploma after his brother was killed years ago.

According to his family, Velasquez was waiting in line to receive his diploma when another graduate allegedly insulted his late brother. They said the comment triggered the confrontation and that his emotions “got the best of him.”

The Kings Canyon Unified School District released a statement after the incident, saying the focus of the evening remained on celebrating the graduates.

The district credited security measures and the quick response from Reedley police, district staff and administrators for helping resolve the situation and allowing the ceremony to continue with minimal disruption.

The incident comes just days after another graduation-related tragedy in California. A shooting near a Bay Area high school after Sem Yeto High School’s commencement at Fairfield High School’s Schafer Stadium left an 18-year-old dead and three others injured, including an 11-year-old child.

First responders took the injured child and two other victims, ages 20 and 25, to the hospital. Police described that shooting as a “large-scale incident.”

No arrests have been made in the Fairfield shooting, and police are still searching for the shooter.

In Reedley, what should have been a night of celebration and achievement turned into a viral moment of confusion and violence. Families had gathered to watch graduates walk across the field, but instead, many witnessed punches, panic and arrests before the ceremony could move forward.