Teen In YouTube School Fight Video Sorry For Actions

A Pittsburgh student who was involved in school fight that surfaced on YouTube earlier this week spoke with Channel 11 News on Friday.

Raw Video: Students Fight In Pittsburgh Classroom

The YouTube video, which surfaced on Monday, shows two Imani Christian Academy students brawling in a classroom. The seventh-grade students are believed to have been from rival neighborhoods in Homewood and the Hill District.

One of the students, Aundre Artemus, 13, said he knows his actions weren't right.

"I can't explain my actions," said Artemus. "I just tried to solve my problems with violence, and I know that's not right."

Elder Milton Raiford, headmaster of Imani in the East Hills, said the students fought for a short period of time while a teacher was distracted.

Raiford said both students were suspended for two days as a result of the fight.

Artemus told Channel 11 that he didn't know a camera was on when the fight was taking place.

"I just told my friend to hold my camera and cell phone, and he just taped it and told me after the fight," said Artemus. "Be careful what you post on YouTube. I didn't know this was going to be put on the news. That put a dark cloud over Imani, and Imani isn't like that."

Artemus said he has since apologized to the school for his actions.

"I told everybody I was sorry for my actions on Monday," said Artemus. "And I'm sorry for leaking the video and that it got exposed nationally, because it's not a good look for Imani."

"I was very upset, hurt," said Artemus' father, Adrian Artemus. "My first reaction was, I took the computer off of him."

"We just want everyone to know we are very sorry and we casted a dark shadow over the school, the students and my family. It's not easy," said Adrian Artemus. "I love my son. I'm going to stand behind him, but I'm going to let him know what you did was wrong. We all make mistakes. We just have to recognize them and do our best to repair them."

Principal Marilyn Barnett said the fight broke out in a room of a first-year teacher.

"The teacher was preoccupied and didn't see the beginning of an altercation," said Barnett.

Students at the school told Channel 11 News that the fight was scary to watch.

"When I first saw the fight, I wanted to stop it," said student D'Angelo Mitchell. "But me being a little person, I didn't know if I was going to get hurt in the process."

"Not a very nice sight to see, to see two friends fighting," said student Raheem Perry. "Because at one point, they were friends."

Raiford said Imani accepts children from every neighborhood.

"We are the only school around here that accepts children from other neighborhoods," said Raiford. "Unfortunately, in the inner city, their allegiance to their neighborhood drives them to dislike someone they don't even know."

Raiford said the students are taught not to fight and that they are all brothers and should lift one another up. He said Imani's goal is to help the students work through their differences.

"Somebody needs to know somebody is working with these children and are not going to disqualify them from succeeding because of their immature irresponsible action this particular day," said Raiford.

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