Student 'shoots the bird,' goes berserk at graduation

Arrested graduate, Joseph Bryan Shore

Joseph Bryan Shore's march to the podium to receive his diploma Friday night was not met with the usual pomp and circumstance. Perhaps it was because he used his 15-second walk in the spotlight to curse at his family and school administrators, make an obscene gesture at the crowd and take a swing at his principal.

Police were called in following the ceremony at Arab High School in Arab, Ala., to settle the 18-year-old graduate, but his continued cursing and resisting of police officers led to his arrest on charges of disorderly conduct.

"We truly regret having to involve the Arab Police Department at graduation," school principal Patrick Crowder told the Arab Tribune. "We felt that the levels of spoken and expressed obscenities left us no other recourse."

According to the Tribune's report, attendees actually booed Shore when he "shot a bird" at the crowd. His swing at the principal could have resulted in more significant consequences, but Shore only slightly grazed Crowder's back.

After leaving the podium, however, Shore's troubles were just beginning.

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Police reports stated that "Shore was cursing school staff, and, as Sgt. (Gina) Smith and Sgt. (Lauren) Harnack approached, it appeared the subject was about to run. Smith advised him to place his hands behind his back, but he began resisting."

The police also reported that "Shore's family was behind us and becoming irate because he was under arrest. Several times they had to be told to calm down and back off."

After dispersing a crowd that had gathered and joined in the cursing and shouting, police took Shore to the Arab City Jail without further incident.

School superintendent John Mullins told the Tribune that the event was "unfortunate," saying, "On behalf of our seniors, their parents and their families, I regret that it did take place. The incident is certainly not truly reflective of our students, their families or our community."

 

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