Boys' fight club forced to hang up gloves

By JIM ADAMS, Star Tribune

Last update: May 23, 2008 - 8:11 AM

It's time for an impromptu junior high fight club in Savage to hang up its gloves, police said Thursday.

For the past month, a group of junior high boys has been fighting in back yards, garages and a city park, videotaping the encounters and posting them on YouTube (Parental warning: explicit comments and song lyrics). They wear boxing gloves but no headgear and have no referees. Parents apparently had no clue it was going on, police say.

So far, no blood has been spilled and no one has been seriously hurt -- and police intend to keep it that way.

"We are concerned for their safety, and that is why we are getting involved," said Savage police Capt. Dave Muelken. "What they are doing seems to be fun, but it could lead to serious injury."

On Thursday, Savage police forwarded reports about the fighting to the Scott County attorney, who could file disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly or other charges, Muelken said.

Savage isn't the only place. In recent years, fight clubs have been staged in several northern suburbs, including Blaine and New Brighton.

After Blaine police found big groups of high school students watching outdoor bouts, the Blaine City Council acted last fall, passing an ordinance against the activity, often called ultimate fighting or mixed martial arts, said Mayor Tom Ryan.

"We had kids meeting in parks or back yards and beating each other up," Ryan said. After one or two came home with a broken jaw or nose, "we thought it was time to stop it," he said.

Blaine Capt. Kerry Fenner said police haven't had to use the new ordinance, perhaps because they warned those involved to cut it out and the fights stopped, he said.

Warnings also were issued in New Brighton several years ago after scores of kids flocked to backyard fights, said Deputy Police Chief Bob Erickson. The New Brighton City Council opted not to pass an ordinance, instead relying on citations for disorderly conduct or loud parties to discourage the fights.

Spring Lake Park and Fridley also passed ordinances aimed at stopping ultimate fighting, but have not had to employ them, police and city officials said.

Neighbors taken aback

Savage police became aware of the matches early last week when students at Eagle Ridge Junior High in Savage told the school's liaison officer that some boys from the school were holding frequent fights and posting them on YouTube as "the Savage Fight Club."

The videos showed that the young fighters lacked proper equipment and that they sometimes swung or kicked wildly. A few times, a fighter would punch a downed opponent, Muelken said.

Some of the fights were held in a fenced outdoor hockey rink area in the city's Canterbury Park, he said.

Last week, a resident called police to a home in the Canterbury Squares neighborhood. More than 20 kids were watching a fight, which police broke up, Muelken said. The parents weren't home.

Those involved were identified and told to stop fighting. If it happens again, charges may be filed, Muelken said.

Jolene Hjelmberg, who lives near the fight site, said she was shocked to hear about it. "It's ridiculous -- with that many kids, once they start something, it could keep escalating," she said.

Brian Martinez, who also lives nearby, said of the fights: "They are dangerous, especially around here. There are a lot of little kids."

He said he'd support any police action "to protect the neighborhood."

Staff writer Suzanne Ziegler contributed to this report. Jim Adams • 612-673-7658