Quiet Riot at St. Gabe's?

Police have offered more information on the incident at on Monday, June 4. Two juveniles were arrested after starting a fight, but not quite a riot, authorities say.

According to Lower Providence Police, at 11:42 a.m. on Monday, the department responded to a report of a disturbance in the dining hall of the juvenile detention facility for court committed males owned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Because the initial report of the fight seemed to have exaggerated its size, police units from West Norriton Township, Schuylkill Township, Upper Providence Township, Upper Merion Township, and Valley Forge National Historic Park responded to assist Lower Providence Township police units.

Saint Gabriel’s residential director Ralph Stinson told The Mercury that the incident was, media coverage and police response notwithstanding, much more a conventional school yard fight than a riot. He emphasized that the other 167 students in the cafeteria did not interfere with law enforcement officials when they broke up the scuffle.

“The [other] students did not in any way prevent us from taking care of the situation,” he said.

The disturbance was resolved by 11:54 a.m. Two juvenile males were taken into custody and transported to the Lower Providence Township Police Department for processing. One faces charges to include Aggravated Assault and related offenses for assaulting two Saint Gabriel’s Hall staff members. The second faces Disorderly Conduct charges.  

All outside police agencies were released from the scene at 12:16 p.m. and Lower Providence Township Police Department personnel cleared the scene at 12:28 p.m.

There were no injuries reported.