Athens Drive High School parents say they're upset that students who protected themselves during fight were suspended

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Parents of some Athens Drive High School students who have been disciplined for their involvement in a fight outside the school last week gathered Thursday to express their concerns about the way the incident was handled.

The fight happened last week as students were being dismissed.

Video of the fight sent to ABC11 showed dozens of students involved.

But parents of some Athens Drive students told reporters Thursday that the students had no option but to defend themselves.

"What the video does not tell you is that several adult men came to this school with intentions to harm a kid in attendance here," parent Keith McCrimmon said. "The video does not tell you that the parking lot is not properly supervised for the safety of the students leaving campus or heading to the track meet down the street."

He continued: "Those adult men that came to the school and attacked our kids are the only ones responsible for what took place here. There were a couple of minor injuries and one serious injury that we don't know how it's going to affect that kid in the future. God forbid what the conversation would be today if other students hadn't taken it upon themselves to do the job of the adults and protect their friends and fellow students."

"For the selfless act of the students that protected their friends," he said, "they're all suspended from school and some criminally charged with misdemeanor assault for protecting each other."

"There are kids here that have never been in a fight in their lives and if you look at the video what they are doing is they feel like they are fighting for their lives," he said.

The school told ABC11 on Thursday that, while the students are good kids, they violated policy. In Wake County, it's a level two offense to harm a visitor on campus.

Jermaine Lovon Canteen, 18, was charged with second-degree trespass and simple assault.

Khadeem Fleming, 21, and Craig Campbell, 19, were also charged. Canteen, Fleming and Campbell were not students at the school.