LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — A video has turned up that seems to show a Henry Clay High School student breaking up a fight sometime in the days before he died.
The video, which was shot by a student, contradicts a statement by the Fayette County Public Schools superintendent that reports of a fight were only rumors.
Attorney Justin Peterson said the family of 17-year-old Emmanuel Mwakadi is disappointed with Wednesday’s statement from the superintendent, Dr. Demetrus Liggins, stating that Mwakadi was not involved in breaking up a fight before his death. That’s what compelled the law firm to release the video and clarify what happened before the incident.
Peterson, who serves as Mwakadi’s family attorney, said his legal team has been trying to work with FCPS to investigate Mwakadi’s untimely death at school. They most recently met on Tuesday.
“I thought we had a good meeting yesterday,” said Peterson. “And then we get this statement, indicating that what the family has said is false.”
Dr. Liggins released a statement in an attempt to clear up rumors, saying in part, “Emmanuel never entered a restroom on May 10 nor was he involved in a fight or the act of breaking up a fight.”
But the video, given to NewsNation affiliate WDKY just hours after that statement was released, tells a different story.
“Number one, there was a fight at Henry Clay High School. Number two, Emanuel intervened to break up that fight. Number three, he was injured during that fight. And you can clearly see him hit. Number four, he complained of head and neck pain following that fight in the days that followed,” Peterson said.
The contradiction may be in the timing. The school system said there was no fight on the day Emmanuel died. Peterson said the fight in the video happened in the weeks leading up to Mwakadi’s death. He also noted that preliminary autopsy findings show Mwakadi suffered from a brain bleed.
The family is now calling for change in the school system, hoping more resources will be dedicated to training that will help keep students safe at school.
“Students are complaining of fights almost every day, if not every day, inside of the school,” said Peterson. “Parents have come to us with evidence indicating that their child was subjected to violence in Fayette County Public Schools.”
Peterson said his legal team has requested that FCPS hand over all surveillance video recorded at Henry Clay High School over the last 30 days.
“We hope that that they produce this information to us outside of a lawsuit so that we can be fully informed and let our client know what we plan to do next,” Peterson told WDKY.
The family’s legal team has not made any allegations or filed a lawsuit at this time. Peterson said they are simply working to gather all the information possible to make the most informed decision moving forward for Mwakadi’s family.
WDKY reached out to FCPS for a new statement after receiving the video on Wednesday, but their spokesperson, Dia Davidson-Smith, declined to comment.