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Social media dispute fuels large scrap in Park City
By David Dinell
Last Updated: April 30, 2015

An argument that started on a social media site spiraled out of control last week in Park City, leading to a long night for police. 

The situation got heated when several carloads of juveniles showed up at the house of another juvenile on the evening of April 22 in the 6400 block of North Scottsville. 

They became involved in a fight and that's when Park City police got a call shortly after 8 p.m. 

As the police arrived, the juveniles scattered, and an adult, Brandon Tallchief, 19, attempted to leave. Police ordered Tallchief to stop, but he took off, resulting in a short chase that ended in his arrest.

He was arrested for traffic charges and warrants from Wichita, Andover and Sedgwick County and is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail. He faces at least six new charges, including disorderly conduct, assault, battery of a law enforcement officer, interference with an officer and failure to carry a driver's license. He has past charges, too. 

Police had a difficult time putting together details of the fight as the people who remained on the scene didn't want to cooperate with the investigation. 

Hours later, early in the morning of April 23, police were informed by a parent that a juvenile victim from the disturbance was in the hospital. 

She had fractured facial bones, but didn't report the injuries right away to police because an older brother told her not to do so. 

"We didn't even know we had a victim," said Park City Police Chief Phillip Bostian. 

Handling the fight were officers from Park City along with backups from Kechi and Bel Aire police departments, a common practice if an area large-scale disturbance is under way, Bostian said. 

"We help each other," he said. 

The case is not over, either. 

"The whole case is under investigation," Bostian said. 

Already it has resulted in two narratives of 22 pages and 23 pages being produced. 

So far, no juveniles have been arrested or booked. 

If an assault charge does result, and it involves a juvenile, the case will be taken over by Sedgwick County, as Park City only handles juvenile curfew and traffic cases. In either situation, their names will not be released, Bostian said. 

While juveniles have long been involved in fights, using social media to "promote" them and grow them is a new development. Other parts of the country have reported fights similar to the one in Park City. 

More than likely, the fighters will be boys, according to Childtrends.org, which finds that male high school students are more likely than female students to be involved in a physical fight. 

Its research finds that 30 percent of boys reported fighting. However, girls are not immune to fisticuffs as 19 percent of them have been in a physical altercation, too, the group reports. 

Officials at a family group, Better Family Life Inc. of St. Louis, said that fights can sometimes start on sites such as Facebook and then disputes move to the streets. 

Social media also can be used to seek violence. 

That's precisely the case in Baltimore this week as a flier was sent through social media urging people to gather at a mall for a violent encounter. The message attracted hundreds of juveniles and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.





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