News 12 First at Five, April 22, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga -- An officer who's never spoken out before is doing so today to set the record straight; what he has to say isn't what one family wants to hear.

"Gang members, community groups, they're here, they've been here, they've been here for years. Not the first year, not going to be the last year." You might say Sgt. Dana Byrd is fed up, so he's speaking out.

He's tired of the rumors, the fights, and the gang problem after 14 students ended up in jail after a fight at ARC on April 3, 2008. Deputies are still looking for another, 17-year-old, Johndrick Barnes.

Also, one suspect's brother claims the proof is not in the video, saying the punishment does not fit the crime.

"It's quiet now, so we're going to have school with them or without them." Sgt. Dana Byrd is tired of wasted opportunities. "In our school system we have a conflict everyday somewhere."

He's also tired of all the rumors that are surrounding this fight. "We didn't have any guns, we didn't have machetes, and we didn't have grenades."

He arrived at ARC right after the fights broke out on April 3rd. He says calling it a gang fight is a stretch. "They are part of a community based group, but as far as it being tied into a gang fight, no. They're not fighting over whose selling dope and territory and who's doing what and prostitution, that's not going on."

But what is going on, some students just don't like each other and this same group has gone at it three times just this year.

And then, there are the kids like 18-year-old Corray Bryant. "He's not one of our greatest achievements, but we work with them all."

Investigators say Corray's part in all this, fueling the fire by throwing gang signs.

"They charged him with starting a riot and all he did was put his hands in the air," says Corray's brother Larry Bryant.

Larry can't understand why his brother is charged with two felonies and about to spend his second night in jail. "I understand he put his hands up, but what about the boys that were fighting?"

Now, the family is fighting to clear his name, but Sgt. Byrd is fighting to keep schools safe. "When they're ready to get their education, we're ready to give it to them."

As for the rumor that other people were in the school at the time of the fight and they weren't students, Sgt. Byrd says there is truth to that. Some students were putting on a fashion show and guests were invited to attend, but Sgt. Byrd says none of the guests caused problems or participated in the fight.

The eight students arrested the day of the fight are scheduled for their school tribunal hearing on Wednesday (April 23).