Fight at Westlake High School Results in Arrest, Hospitalization

A 17-year old junior and an 18-year old sophomore got into a fight in a men's bathroom at Westlake High School resulting in an arrest for the older student and serious head injuries for the younger student.

The altercation took place on Tuesday at around 1pm, the younger student was discovered in the men's room by a staff member and a WPD School Resource Officer. The student appeared to be lethargic and was seen by the school nurse. Family members transported him to Fairview Hospital and he was later airlifted to Metro.

Deandrew Smith (pictured above), the 18-year old sophomore turned himself into authorities on a charge of felonious assault. Smith posted a bond of $5,000 and a no-contact order was issued. His next hearing is scheduled for April 19th at Rocky River Municipal Court. The case will be submitted to the Grand Jury for review.

According to Cleveland.com, rumors circulated in the days after the incident which were found to not be credible. Additionally, officials found a bullet in the parking lot but determined that it was unrelated to the fight and that there is no credible threat. The Westlake Police will have an increased presence at the school through Friday.

Westlake Schools sent the following message out to parents:

"The Westlake City School District has become aware of numerous rumors circulating in the community regarding an altercation that took place at the high school earlier this week.

"Westlake High School administrators followed district discipline procedures regarding this incident. We also are working in partnership with our School Resource Officers and the Westlake Police Department who investigated these rumors and determined there is no credible or specific threat to our schools or students.

"Please know that our schools are safe and maintaining a safe environment is our top priority. Our students are in class and learning. If we have additional information to share, we will do so through our SchoolMessenger notification system."

(photo by Westlake Police Department)