March 19, 2024

Courthouse fight brings quick response, no arrests

Few leads in what sparked afternoon brawl

A large fight involving an undetermined number of people happened Wednesday afternoon on the south lawn of the Jasper County Courthouse in Newton.

Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess said his officers were called to the courthouse shortly after 3 p.m. for a large fight involving at least 10 to 15 people. The brawl quickly broke up in the short time it took police to arrive, and no arrests had been made by presstime Thursday.

Burdess said initial witness estimates of how many people were involved varied greatly, but an investigation shows there only appears to have been two or three people fighting and about 10 to 15 people surrounding it.

The chief said the incident is under investigation and isn’t sure if and when anyone might be charged. He said not everyone who was questioned by police has been cooperative regarding information about the fight, though no one has been detained.

The brawl apparently was only a physical altercation, which spilled briefly onto First Avenue. Burdess said nothing has indicated weapons were involved.

It isn’t known what caused the disturbance, nor the identities of anyone who might be a suspect. The individuals who were fighting appeared to emerge from one of the nearby courtrooms, Burdess said.

Burdess said it was too early to tell the ages of any suspects or victims, though witnesses seemed to indicate individuals of various ages were involved.

The chief also didn’t know the extent of any injuries. One police scanner report indicated at least one person was being taken to Skiff Medical Center by private vehicle.

Burdess said there is video evidence to examine, but he wasn’t sure if the courthouse itself has exterior cameras that captured Wednesday’s incident. NPD has access to video footage of the incident, but the chief said he didn’t want to discuss the source of that evidence while the investigation is ongoing.

The chief said police will present more information to the public as it becomes available.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com