Adult 'instigated, jeered and intervened" in a fight between two students on a bus
Police in Haines, Florida, held a press conference to announce Taityana Duffy's arrest with scenes from the incident. (Credit: Haines Police Department)
A Florida woman allegedly unleashed a flurry of punches on a student during a fight at a bus stop moments after she shouted for one of the girls to "beat her a--," cellphone video shows.
The wild melee on March 1 started as an argument between two students that quickly escalated into a fistfight, which drew the attention of other students and adults.
That included Taityana Duffy, 28, who "instigated, jeered and intervened" in the fight by allegedly throwing punches of her own, said Haines Police Chief Greg Goreck, who identified Duffy as one of the student's guardians.
"The involvement of an adult in encouraging and participating in a teenage fight at a bus stop is unacceptable and deeply concerning," Goreck said. "This behavior not only escalates violence but also fails our community's expectation of an adult's responsibility to help safeguard our children."
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Taityana Duffy (gray sweatshirt and black shorts) was identified by police as one of the student's guardians. (Haines Police Department)
A segment of the brawl was played in a video statement by Goreck, which included cellphone footage of the fight that was mostly blurred and bleeped.
It starts with two students – one in a red sweatshirt and another wearing a gray shirt – pushing and shoving, but they were quickly separated by adults and other students.
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The fight between two students at a Haines, Florida, bus stop starts with two students, one in a red hoodie and the other in a gray shirt. (Haines Police Department)
But the brawl continues when one of the students – in the gray shirt – goes after a different target, a female student in a blue shirt, who was pinned to the ground and hit with several closed-fist blows.
Duffy – seen in a gray sweater and black shorts – allegedly records the fight and yells, "Beat her a--," according to police.
WATCH FULL VIDEO OF FIGHT
One of the students – in a red hoodie – pushes the attacker off the female student, the video shows, which is when Duffy is seen allegedly grabbing the student and yelling, "Get the f--- off her."
That's when the video ended and the police chief resumed his statement.
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Officers arrived after the dust cleared, but Duffy and an unnamed student (because of her age) were arrested and charged with battery, according to the chief.
"As you saw, this was a pretty intense situation. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, and everyone was able to walk away except for the two individuals who were criminally charged," Goreck said.
"These kinds of actions are not tolerated by the Haines City Police Department. The bus stop is an extension of the schools, and the students should feel safe enough to go to the bus stop, get on the bus and go to school and return home without fear of being attacked by other students, let alone another parent."
Taityana Duffy (circled) appears to be recording the fight and allegedly cheering on the students. (Haines City Police Department)
Haines Police Chief Greg Goreck said Taityana Duffy, whose mugshot is in the right corner, was arrested and charged with battery. (Haines Police Department)
The chief said officers will patrol the bus stops in the city.
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The Haines City Police Department asks anyone with additional information to call police at (863) 421-3636.
For those wishing to provide information anonymously, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at (888) 400-8477.
