A student at Diamond Ranch High School was assaulted March 21 after a group of unknown assailants entered campus, one of who brandished a gun at surrounding students then struck the victim with the frame of the weapon.

The altercation was caught on camera in a video that has since gone viral.

Credit: ABC7

The incident took place around 3 p.m. when a car of non-students pulled up the long driveway of Diamond Ranch High School, looking for another student who was not on campus.

A fight ensued just outside the school gym, then one of the men pulled out a gun and pointed it at the crowd of students before allegedly striking a student with the frame. Surrounding students then began to scatter for shelter.

Around 5 p.m. the district sent out an email to notify district parents and staff of the situation.

The email stated, “There was a brief altercation that occurred on campus at the end of dismissal. In an abundance of caution, we adhered to our safety protocols which required us to be on lockdown for a brief period of time.”

The following morning, the district further explained the situation in a second email sent by superintendent Darren Knowles to parents and staff.

“After the incident, we started hearing rumors and receiving reports about a rifle, BB gun or handgun brandished and pointed during the fight. After we received videos, we confirmed one of the non-students pointed the firearm at our student.”

At this time police have not indicated whether or not they have identified a suspect.

Sonya*, the mother of a student attending DRHS, was on campus with her child at the time and watched the altercation unfold.

She said that her child was standing behind the student who was assaulted and could have been in the line of fire had the assailant decided to shoot. She added that it was the most terrifying thing she had ever experienced.

She then spoke to how her child has reacted to the situation.

“[They] are extremely traumatized,” Sonya said. “That was the first experience being that close to a gun. There’s fights that take place on a regular basis here, but never a gun.”

Sonya also raised serious concerns over the school’s lockdown protocols.

“There was no stopping of traffic; they were directing traffic, but egress continued as usual,” she said. “They claimed that the lockdown took place inside the gym, but there was actually a volleyball game that was about to start in the gym.”

“The front doors were not locked at any point nor were they closed,” she added.

SAC Media approached Superintendent Darren Knowles on Monday to inquire about district emergency protocols and how often the students are drilled to respond to emergencies.

“Frankly, not enough,” Knowles said.

He explained that the schools run emergency drills monthly, however they encompass all emergencies on a rotational basis.

Knowles did acknowledge that, given the current epidemic of campus gun violence nationwide, the need for more aggressive and comprehensive drilling to prepare students for an active-shooter situation is paramount.

“You know, I worry about fires, I worry about earthquakes, but this is what scares me the most,” he said.

Knowles added that the Diamond Ranch campus will have an increased security presence until police have made an arrest.

The district will host a town hall with parents and staff when more information becomes available, however a date is yet to be set.

* The parent wished to remain anonymous so a pseudonym was used.