Shocking footage shows the moment a Las Vegas substitute teacher fought a high school student that allegedly called him a racial slur.
Re’Kwon Smith, 27, is seen in footage posted to social media repeatedly punching a student, who is also engaged in the brawl.
The incident occurred in the cafeteria of Valley High School in east Las Vegas on Thursday after the student allegedly called the teacher the n-word.
Smith, a substitute teacher with the Clark County School District since November 2023, was on assignment at the Valley High at the time of the altercation.
Videos of the incident are being used as evidence by local police, who arrested both the student and teacher, according to sources who spoke to 8NewsNow.
Local police confirmed Smith will be removed from the district’s substitute teaching pool and will no longer be eligible to teach in the district.
Videos from the scene show both parties throwing punches at one another before the student is knocked to the ground.
Sources told Channel 13 the student is recovering from the fight at a local hospital.
Valley High School principal Kimberly Perry-Carter told parents that the school was aware of the incident but that the ‘information is preliminary.’
‘Please know that CCSDPD is investigating the matter.
‘Once we have information to share we will be sure to update our community’ she added.
‘Violence in any form is unacceptable and goes against the fundamental principles of education and respect’ CCSD officials said in a statement on Thursday.’
Adding: ‘Any altercation between a teacher and a student is thoroughly investigated, and appropriate disciplinary action is taken.’
Smith now faces a litany of criminal charges including battery resulting in serious bodily harm, assaulting a school pupil on school property, threatening to do bodily harm to public school student, and interfering with a student from attending school, according to court records.
Smith is currently being held on $9000 bail at the Clark County Detention Center. He is due to appear in court on Friday.