A student at a Tampa alternative school was arrested after deputies said he tried to strangle a school security officer.
The 15-year-old student, who is not being named due to his age, was arrested Tuesday afternoon at Caminiti Exceptional Center School.
According to reports, the uniformed officer was working at North Tampa Alternative School, which is located next door, when she spotted the teenager at Caminiti Exceptional Center.
The officer told the teenager to return to the school, at which time the student pushed her, deputies said. The officer grabbed the student to take him into custody and a struggle ensued, during which time the teenager began choking the officer, the report said.
The officer nearly lost consciousness, but she was able to punch the student several times, the report said. The student let go and ran away.
A second security officer saw the struggle and ran to help, deputies said. He started running after the student, who stopped to pick up a large rock and threatened to hit the officer with it, deputies said.
The officer drew his service weapon and ordered the student to drop the rock, the report said. The student did as ordered, then ran toward Twin Lakes Elementary School, located on Habana Avenue.
A deputy who was on security detail at the elementary school blocked the student from getting inside the school building, deputies said. The school principal immediately put the school on lockdown.
The student kept running through school grounds, then jumped a fence back onto the property of Caminiti Exceptional Center and ran out into the surrounding neighborhood, deputies said.
Deputies established a perimeter and started searching for the student. At some point, a deputy saw the student trying to break into a home on Gomez Avenue, the report said.
A deputy with a K-9 also saw the teenager and ordered him to stop, but the student kept running, so the deputy released the K-9, the report said. The teenager was trying to climb over another fence when the K-9 bit him in the leg.
Deputies said they were then able to apprehend the student and take him into custody.
The student was treated for the dog bite at a local hospital, then was taken to the Hillsborough County Juvenile Assessment Center. He is being held without bond on charges of battery on a school security officer, assault on a school security officer and resisting arrest.
The officer who was reportedly choked by the student was treated at the scene for a large abrasion around her neck.