CT school security guard arrested after confrontation with student
Stamford CT April 4 2023 A substitute security guard working at Rippowam Middle School who was arrested after police say he got into a physical altercation with a student has been fired, according to a schools spokesperson.
On March 16, guard Marcus Taylor was accused of grabbing a student and pulling him down a hallway toward the school’s main office when the student did not pull down a hood attached to his sweatshirt after Taylor told him to do so, according to a police report filed at the time.
The report states that Rippowam Principal Kristina Colmenares was a witness and attempted to get between the two, telling Taylor “she’s got this.” Colmenares told police that Taylor was using what she described as excessive force and was not listening to her as he headed to the main office with the student in tow, the report stated.
Officers also interviewed Taylor, who said he told the student earlier in the day to take down his hood, but the student did not do so, the report stated. The school policy states that students shall not have hoods over their heads, according to the police report. At lunchtime, Taylor again encountered the student and told him again to lower his hood, the report stated.
The student did not respond, at which point Taylor grabbed the student’s backpack and attempted to take him to the office, Taylor told police, according to the report. The student allegedly threatened Taylor, according to the guard’s recollection, the report stated. Taylor told police the student “got him hot,” and he grabbed him “around the neck area of his sweatshirt with one hand and began to pull him down the hallway,” the report stated.
Taylor, who could not be reached for comment Friday, was charged with breach of peace and issued a summons to appear in court.
His arraignment was scheduled for Thursday morning, but according to the clerk’s office at the Stamford Superior Court, Taylor failed to appear. He was issued a bail commissioner’s letter. His next hearing date is set for May 31.
On March 20, Taylor was fired, said Kathleen Steinberg, spokesperson for the district.
“It was an unfortunate incident,” Steinberg said. She said the student did not suffer any major injuries from the altercation.
Officers learned about the confrontation once they were already at the school for an unrelated matter, according to the police report. They were told by Colmenares that the incident took place around lunchtime and the student and his mother were in a conference room.
Officers then met with Colmenares, security staff, the student and his mother.
