Three students were arrested at East Lee County High School, 715 Thomas Sherwin Avenue, Lehigh Acres, on Friday for their participation in a fight that created a huge disturbance at the school, a spokeswoman with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said. The altercation was around 7:30 a.m.

As students were arriving at school, one female student engaged in a heated conversation with another female student. The verbal altercation soon turned physical when one these students punched the other in the head with a closed fist, authorities said. A school staff member was the first on scene and he attempted to break up the fight. A second staff member came to his assistance as the pair continued to fight each other. One of the students broke free and attacked a third female student, authorities said.

The altercation caused a large crowd of students to gather and created a significant disruption on the campus. It also required the SRO and approximately 12 staff members to leave their assigned areas so they could diffuse the situation.

After the incident, one teacher complained of a possible injury to the knee. None of the students were injured during the altercation. All three students face misdemeanor charges for their roles in this incident.