The Madison County school system says surprise “flash mobs” and a “fabricated disturbance” caused a frightening scene at last Friday night’s football game between Sparkman and Hazel Green high schools.

Board member Heath Jones, at a special-called county school board meeting Tuesday, said that social media posts were wrong about firearms and knives at the disturbance and wrong about a fight between supporters of the two teams. None of that happened, Jones said.

But School Board President Brian Brooks said what did happen “was embarrassing, upsetting and dangerous.

“I saw children crying, I saw parents deeply concerned and very upset,” Brooks said. “As a parent I share that with you.

“What I witnessed cannot and will not be tolerated,” Brooks said. “I saw fencing damaged. I saw children and adults attempting to escape a chaotic situation. We will create additional protocols to reduce the chance of this happening again in the future. But if it does, we’ll use every available tool to discipline individuals that cause disruption of this nature.”

Brooks said he wanted to “personally apologize to the football players, coaches, family and children that were traumatized by this event.”

“You didn’t deserve this,” Brooks said. He promised additional security measures but said he would not discuss them publicly.

The system issued the following summary of what happened that night:

– On August 17, the evening of the Hazel Green High School jamboree against Westminster, a Sparkman football player visiting the Hazel Green campus had a verbal altercation with a Hazel Green football player at the game. A Madison County SRO stopped the situation and the incident was looked into further by school administrators, Madison County SROs and the Madison County Schools administrators. It was determined that there was no credible threat. No weapons were involved or shown and this was not a physical altercation. Hazel Green and Sparkman parents were notified by administration of this incident and its conclusion.

– August 21 through August 25 (Rivalry Week), talk about the rivalry game on social media had increased. On August 21, a particular post from a Sparkman student depicting a funeral coffin aimed at Hazel Green was shared on social media. The post was investigated by campus administrators and removed by the student who posted it. Other social media posts brought to the administration’s attention was presented to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office to determine whether they were credible threats. It was determined that the questionable posts were not credible threats.

– As gameday was approaching Madison County Schools system and campus administrators met with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and SROs to discuss security at the game. They determined that additional SROs would be present, in total 9 SROs were present inside the stadium. Hours before the game patrol deputies were informed of the game and were placed on call if needed.

– August 25 (game day), due to a heat advisory the kickoff time was 8 p.m. The first half of the game seemed normal. At half time the band took the field to perform and was followed by a presentation of state championship rings to the Sparkman girls’ soccer team. During the presentation the first disturbance occurred.

– According to deputies, in the area of the south endzone, students who were assembled in the area suddenly started running. Some went out of the admission gate while others dispersed into the stands, officials began to quickly investigate the cause. Students who had left were not being let back into the stadium.

– As teams prepared to leave the locker rooms a second disturbance occurred in the same area. Officials could not identify a credible threat. Following this disturbance, coaches, admin and both teams decided to stop the game and the stadium was cleared.

– Some students received minor injuries during the disturbances including scrapes, bumps and bruises. Medical personnel at the stadium had initially told administrators that there were no injuries reported at the stadium.

– There has been no evidence presented that a weapon was shown or seen by spectators. There was also no credible threat that caused the students to disperse in the manner that they did.

The system also announced the following changes in game operations:

1. Elementary and Middle school students must be accompanied by an adult to be granted entry to a game. The adult must remain at the game in order for the child to remain at the game.

2. Unaccompanied students who fail to present a drivers license will be denied entry.

3. Spectators may not be in possession of large bags or backpacks unless there is a parental or medical need.

4. Spectators must keep walkways clear for fans, teams and officials.

5. Loitering is not permitted and ticket sales will be capped. Football – 80% of the venue’s capacity

County School Superintendent Ken Kubik said, “The system takes this seriously and has been ‘diligently investigating.’”

The system had been warned of a possible threat at the game, Kubik said. The sheriff’s department investigated and security was heightened, he said.

“Upon initial assessment it has become apparent that the disturbance originated from a small group of individuals,” Kubik said. “I want to emphasize that this incident was isolated and not reflective of the majority of the students and community members.”

Responding to social media comments, Kubik said there were no firearms or weapons used or identified. There were no “physical altercations or reported injuries” and there “was no rushing of the field.” Several sections of fencing were destroyed and a gate will need repair or replacement, he said. Other speakers attributed that to frightened attendees rushing to get out.

Kubik said a “fabricated disturbance ensued during the second quarter and at halftime (and) was an embarrassment for our district and not what we advocate and they will be held accountable.”

Kubik ended his remarks by apologizing to the student athletes and parents from both schools.

Hazel Green football team father Chris Turner said in the public comments that followed that while the “flash mob” has gotten most of the public attention the Hazel Green team was “sheltering in place in the locker room” with coaches blocking the entrance.

“My wife had received four text messages from my son inside the locker room,” Turner said. “The first one at 10:02 p.m., ‘They tried to push their way in.’”

“Two: They’re literally waiting at the damn door trying for us.”

“Three: Coach is standing outside holding it shut.”

“Four: Y’all need to get out of here.”

“At 10:04 p.m. my wife and I received a message from my son, ‘You and mom gotta leave.’.”

“Only after the stadium was cleared by additional deputies was the Hazel Green team allowed to leave,” Turner said. “The path to the buses was lined by deputies and the buses received a sheriff’s escort back to Hazel Green.”