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Racial Tension May Be Factor In Lakeland Boys' Fatal Fight

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By Chip Osowski of News Channel 8 and Billy Townsend of The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 6, 2007

Updated: 12/06/2007 04:14 pm

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LAKELAND - Southwest Middle School in Lakeland welcomes nearly 1,000 students each day. Like most large middle schools, its student body is a potent mix of races, cultures and classes.

Couple those differences with the volatile ages of the students, and the potential for trouble always exists. "Working with middle school kids, they're going to have their squabbles and disagreements. It's an emotional age," Principal John Wilson said.

   Marrero-Cassola

On Wednesday, those emotions turned deadly after an off-campus fight between two students — one black, one Hispanic — escalated and left a 13-year-old dead and a 14-year-old facing a second-degree murder charge.

Late Wednesday night, police arrested Tarrod Russell, of 801 Windsor St., without incident at his home. He's accused of fatally stabbing 13-year-old Kristian Marrero-Cassola in the abdomen as the two fought near the apartment complex where Marrero-Cassola lived, police said.

Witnesses told police that Russell and Marrero-Cassola were arguing in front of the younger boy's apartment complex near Beacon and San Gully roads about 4 p.m. Wednesday, not long after school let out. A fight ensued, and Russell stabbed Marrero-Cassola, Lakeland police spokesman Jack Gillen said.

Police said today that some sort of dispute at the school preceded the fatal fight, but the nature of that dispute wasn't immediately clear.

There has been speculation from witnesses, students and parents that racial tension might have played a part in the fight.

Gillen said the boys hung out with small, racially homogenous groups — five or six boys in each — that apparently had clashed before Wednesday's fight. Neither group is thought to have gang ties, Gillen said.

Does that equate to racial tension?

   Tarrod Russell

"I'm not sure how much I want to speculate on that," Wilson said during a morning news conference. "Anytime something happens between people of different races or ethnicities" it's a question to consider.

"I don't think there is a racial problem," said Mary White, whose son attends Southwest. "I think it's hormones."

Additional school resource officers were pulled from several Lakeland schools and deployed to Southwest this morning as a precaution. Gillen said his agency had no specific concerns about possible retaliation, but that it's a possibility police needed to consider.

The extra police presence should last at least through the end of the week, Gillen said.

Wilson said he announced what happened over the intercom this morning. He and staff wore black ribbons and expressed sorrow for everyone involved.

"Naturally, it's a difficult day," Wilson said. "It's difficult for staff and students. It's very heartbreaking to all of us."

Special counseling and crisis teams were on hand at the school, but Wilson said he has instructed his teachers to hold normal classes and try to make the day as normal as possible under the circumstances.

Jennifer Leigh of News Channel 8 and Laura Fiorilli-Crews of TBO.com contributed to this report.

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