Caught on video: Violent incident at Miami Beach Senior High raises concern

MIAMI – A vicious school fight caught on camera shows a student aggressively attacking another. The altercation took place Friday at Miami Beach Senior High School. 

CBS4 obtained the video. It shows a girl eating lunch attacked suddenly from behind by another girl. The aggressor dragged the other girl to the ground, landing punch after punch.

The video circulating social media shook a mother of two boys that attend the school.

“It upset me, students were standing around laughing,” said Shani Biton. “No one jumped in immediately to help the girl.”

The altercation lasts nearly 40 seconds before it’s first broken up by what appears to be other students.

“It was also upsetting there was no security around,” added Biton. It seemed like it took a very long time for an adult to intervene and help this child who could have seriously been injured.”

Biton is a longtime educator. She does not blame the school for what happened.

“The amount of stress students are under, especially after covid, it’s like a pressure cooker.”

Biton looks toward the district to offer the school more support. 

“The Miami-Dade School Board owes the school with such a large size more security, more social workers, and more counselors,” said Biton. 

Miami Beach Senior High’s total enrollment is more than 2200 students.

We reached out to the district about the concerns raised.

In a statement: “Miami-Dade County Public Schools remains committed to fostering a safe and secure learning environment for all and we do not condone the type of behavior displayed in this video. As such, the students involved in the altercation will be disciplined according to the Code of Student Conduct.”

On Friday, the school’s principal addressed the incident in a phone message.

“Good afternoon, parents. This is Al Torossian, principal at Miami Beach Senior High, with an important message. Today we had an isolated incident on campus involving two students that was captured on video and is circulating on social media. Miami-Dade County Public Schools and staff at Miami Beach Senior High remain committed to fostering a safe and secure learning environment for all. We do not condone the type of behavior displayed in the video. As such, the students involved in the incident will be disciplined according to the code of student conduct. We ask that you continue speaking to your children about the importance of acting responsibly. As always, the safety of our students is of paramount importance.”

For Biton, what hurts her deeply, is how she feels children have become numb to violence.

“When I showed it to my older children in the house, they just seemed like it was no big deal,” said Biton. “It was painful to watch their expression that it was not a big deal.”

Again, she stresses the need for more mental health support and security.

The district says the aggressor in the video was given a civil citation.

In Miami-Dade, The Juvenile Civil Citation program allows youth with no previous criminal history to avoid a criminal record.

The program will allow for the student involved to get counseling.