April 1st Student Fight
According to reports obtained by NCST, around 10 AM on Tuesday, April 1st, two SRO’s at East Coweta High School were alerted of a fight taking place in the 500 Hall. When they arrived at the location of the fight they came in contact with two students that had been involved. Both students would be taken to the nurses office to be checked as at least one of them had visible marks from the fight. One of the students was identified as 17 year old Sincere Isaiah Perez.
While Perez was being seen by the school nurse, SRO’s spoke with whose would be determined to be the victim in the altercation. The victim stated that the previous day he’d been talking to some friends when Perez had walked by. At that time someone in another group had said something mocking to Perez. According to the victim he was notified by another student that Perez stated he wanted to fight him in response to the perceived slight, to which he responded he didn’t want to and instead got Perez’s phone number and called him later that night in an attempt to talk about the issue. The victim stated that after the call he was under the impression that the issue had been resolved, with Perez stating they were ” Good ” when he asked.
The next day on April 1st, the victim stated that he was again informed by another student that Perez was in the bathroom by himself and wanted to talk, which he did. According to the victim when he walked into the he was immediately hit with a trash can, thrown by Perez, before being assaulted by a number of other individuals. He then stated he began fighting Perez in order to protect himself.
SRO’s then spoke with Perez, who stated that the victim wanted to fight him and that the victim had told him to go to the bathroom that morning while they were in the cafeteria. He stated that he then went to the bathroom and was jumped by the others in the bathroom.
A third student, described as a friend of the victim, stated that the victim, himself, and a third student entered the bathroom and the victim was hit by a flying trash can before a group of others jumped on and began hitting the victim. The witness was unable to name any of the other individuals as it’d all happened so fast.
According to the report, surveillance video from the schools hallway shows 6 to 7 students go into the bathroom on the 500 hall. After some time, with none of them leaving the bathroom, the victim and 2 friends walk into the bathroom before quickly attempting to back out of the bathroom. A different camera shows the victim and Perez exiting the bathroom fighting. Both students had minor injuries to the head and fist.
Weapon Located During Arrest
Around 9:15 AM on April 15th, a Deputy with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office responded to East Coweta High School to serve an outstanding warrant for Sincere Isaiah Perez for misdemeanor Battery stemming from the April 1st fight.
According to the incident report obtained by NCST, the deputy, along with an SRO, went to the old gym where Perez was located. He was located and asked to come with them to the front office. While walking to the office, the deputy observed Perez messing with something in his right-hand pocket with his hand.
When they arrived at the office, Perez was advised that he had a warrant for his arrest. Before searching Perez ( incident to arrest ), the deputy asked him if he had anything that was going to poke or stick him. Perez stated that he had a razor blade in his right-hand pocket. The deputy removed razor and than searched the rest of Perez’s person which yielded no other weapons. The report describes the razor as having a blue and black handle with a blade length of 3 inches.
Charge & Definition of a Weapon
According to booking information Perez was booked on the following charge in regards to possessing the weapon.
- Carrying a weapon or long gun in unauthorized locations (F)
This charge is codified as GA Code § 16-11-127 (2024), the full text of which can be read here.
It’s not clear why this particular charge was chosen as most incidents regarding weapons in schools seem to result in the following charges.
- Weapon, Carrying within School Safety Zones (F)
This charge is codified as GA Code § 16-11-127.1 (2024), the full text of which can be read here.
As the school specific charge is a sub-section of the unauthorized location charge, it’s possible that there was a clerical error and the charge has been updated.
Under GA Code § 16-11-127.1(a)(4) (2024) the term ” Weapon ” is defined as the following.
“Weapon” means and includes any pistol, revolver, or any weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind, or any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, any other knife having a blade of two or more inches, straight-edge razor, razor blade, spring stick, knuckles, whether made from metal, thermoplastic, wood, or other similar material, blackjack, any bat, club, or other bludgeon-type weapon, or any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain, or any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart, or any weapon of like kind, and any stun gun or taser as defined in subsection (a) of Code Section 16-11-106. This paragraph excludes any of these instruments used for classroom work authorized by the teacher.
Suspect Arrested
Booking records indicate the following individual was arrested and booked regarding the incident.
Sincere Isaiah Perez, 17
Sincere Isaiah Perez, 17, of Newnan was arrested by deputies with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Coweta County Jail for the following charge(s).
- Carrying a weapon or long gun in unauthorized locations (F)
- Battery (M)
Booking records show that Perez was released from custody on the morning of April 17th.
Criminal History
Perez has no known previous contact with law enforcement.
Open Investigation
According to the reports the investigation into the April 1st incident remains an open investigation with more charges possible.