Logan Hocking school district receives threats after woman was arrested at football game
LOGAN, Ohio — The superintendent for Logan-Hocking schools said they placed the district on lockout Thursday after receiving a threat over the phone, a day after a woman was handcuffed and led away after she refused to wear a mask at a middle school football game.
According to the Logan Police Department a school resource officer who was working special duty at the Logan High School Stadium for the 7th and 8th-grade football game when he observed a woman sitting in the stands without a mask.
Officer Chris Smith approached the woman and told her she needed to put her mask on as required by the school policy. The female told the officer she has asthma and was not going to put it on.
The woman was told several times to put her mask on and if she did not, she would be asked to leave the stadium.
Officer Smith advised the woman that she was being placed under arrest for criminal trespassing and asked her to place her hands behind her back multiple times, and she refused.
Police say the officer had to deploy his taser because she kept resisting arrest.
Logan police say Alicia Kitts was charged with criminal trespassing and notes that Kitts was not arrested for failing to wear a mask. They said she was asked to leave the premises for continually violating school policy, and when she refused to leave, she was advised she was under arrest for criminal trespassing, she resisted the arrest, which led to the use of force.
Court records show Kitts has a criminal past. She has faced charges of assault, marijuana and disorderly conduct.
The district released the following statement about that incident:
During a middle school football game held at the Logan-Hocking Local School District on the evening of September 23, 2020, an attendee was asked to comply with the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s and the athletic facility’s policies. The attendee refused to do so and consequently was asked to leave by the attending law enforcement officer. After resisting the request to exit the premises, the individual was apprehended at the discretion of the attending law enforcement officer. The school district is not able to comment further on details of the incident due to the ongoing investigation.
Several supporters stood outside the Logan Police Department Thursday afternoon. They said they were standing in support of officer Chris Smith.
"The police are doing their job exactly the way they are supposed to do," Kevin Knight said. "This was textbook police work"
They said the officer known as "Smitty" to many of the students at school has had a huge impact on the community.
"He was my school resource officer when I was in school," Juanita Thress said. "That was more than 20 years ago. He is the nicest guy. He does not deserve the hate he is getting. She brought this upon herself. Officer Smitty was acting as he should have."
Parents also standing at the department said their kids play sports for Logan High School. They want their kids to be able to keep playing, and will take the safety precautions necessary to make sure the season continues.
"I'm not a fan of the mask mandate, but you still have to abide by the law," Knight said. "I'm going to stand here and support our officers."
Gov. Mike DeWine was asked about the incident during his COVID-19 briefing Thursday.
"Whether we agree with a police officer or not, try to respond to that police officer. There's another time or place to make your point, and you'll have ample opportunity to do that," DeWine said.
DeWine said he called Logan Hocking Schools to get additional details.
He said the superintendent told him the officer was the school's resource officer who works with students all the time and that he could not be a nice officer.
"To anyone judging that school, that officer, that person: they were trying to follow the guidelines of Ohio High School Athletic Association to let the kids play," DeWine said. "It's sad when we see something like that happen."
ABC 6/FOX28 will continue to follow this story.
