More Than 50 Students Face Charges After Vandalizing High School, Causing $5K In Damages

More than 50 students have been charged with breaking and entering and vandalism after causing severe damage at Mallard Creek High School in North Carolina.

The students broke into the school through an unsecured classroom window on the first floor between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday and caused $5,000 worth of damages to the property, Queen City News reported.

It is believed that someone unlocked the window in the classroom earlier in the day. Students returned to campus after school hours and remained hidden in the said classroom until about 9 p.m.

The entire incident was caught on school surveillance footage, as per Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which reportedly called the incident a "foolish prank" and a "premeditated event."

Many students involved in the incident were identified as high school seniors who may not be able to participate in their graduation ceremony. Police added that the charges against perpetrators range from misdemeanor breaking and entering to damage to property and vandalism.

Some videos of the vandalism have made it to social media apps like Snapchat. They reportedly show mess inside the school, including toilet paper and streamers scattered in the hallways and caution signs knocked over.

"I saw confetti or balloons everywhere, it's like they had a party or something, and they just trashed it overall," Junior Christian Powe told the outlet. "I mean, we're provided with decent teachers, a good education, and that's how they want to treat it back; I don't know what the school did to deserve all that."

Authorities urged parents to keep monitoring their children's movements and make them aware of the consequences of such serious crimes.

Meanwhile, parents expressed concerns over the damage caused to the school.

"I would consider it a bad act," Maya Shenhav, whose kid studies in the school, told WSOC-TV.

"I was just reading about the vandalism at Union County High School the other day," another parent said, as per the outlet. "You know, I think that it's inappropriate."

The school issued a message to parents Tuesday night, noting that law enforcement was "actively investigating to identify those responsible for the incident."

"Acts of vandalism were discovered at our school including damage on multiple floors," the outlet quoted the message as saying. "Please remind your students that those who participate in acts of vandalism to, or on school property, are in violation of the CMS Code of Student Conduct and will be disciplined accordingly, including the potential for criminal changes."

In another incident that took place earlier this week, a group of students participated in a senior "prank" and damaged equipment throughout the Sun Valley High School in Monroe, North Carolina. They poured honey onto electrical panels, printers and copiers and spread flour and toilet paper throughout the hallways, according to Union County Sheriff's Office, which said the prank "went too far."