Cold Lake, AB – The City of Cold Lake is concerned about a serious incident at the Cold Lake Energy Centre involving several high school students who were involved in a serious altercation last week.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 14, and included several female students from Cold Lake High School, who physically attacked one other female student. Videos of the incident are making their way around social media. Although the use of a weapon was not reported during the incident, the City of Cold Lake understands that a knife was found on the floor following the incident.

Social media videos also show other fights that broke out surrounding the original incident. Another video shows a student whose legs and head were restrained while being physically assaulted by other students.

These incidents represent a significant and serious escalation in anti-social behaviour in the City’s public facilities.

The City has identified most of the students involved from the various videos and is cooperating with all relevant authorities and law enforcement to ensure that any legal consequences that can be levied are brought to bear. Similar incidents in other jurisdictions have led to serious and life changing injuries.

“It is concerning that there appears to be an increase on group violence involving students in our society, and we are very worried to see this behaviour becoming more prevalent in our community as well,” Mayor Craig Copeland said. “This was a brazen incident that took place in a public space that is connected to the high school. It has no place in our society and we will not tolerate it in Cold Lake.”

The City of Cold Lake is supporting the RCMP in its criminal investigation, and is reviewing the opportunity to levy its own fines and penalties for those involved.

The City of Cold Lake’s Energy Centre is connected with Northern Lights Public School Division’s Cold Lake High School. The majority of the identified participants in the November 14 incident are understood to be students enrolled at Cold Lake High School. Cold Lake High School uses and rents several services and facilities in the Cold Lake Energy Centre for educational programming.

“We already have come to the point where our staff needs to maintain a list of people who are banned from the facility due to vandalism and other behaviour, but this recent incident is a significant escalation,” Copeland said. “This behaviour is dangerous and has no place in our society. We will not tolerate it in our community. City staff are working diligently with the relevant authorities, police, and parents to ensure that action is taken. There needs to be consequences for this type of behaviour.”