A physical altercation broke out between Gunn High School and Wilcox High School parents after Tuesday night’s boys varsity basketball game in Gunn High’s gym.
The close game ended with Gunn High taking home a win, Gunn senior Ruth Jaquette said, which led to their 82-81 win in overtime. Toward the end of the game, Wilcox parents and their basketball team’s coach were raucous during Gunn’s free throws, Gunn students said. In response, Gunn’s student section began raising their voices and cheering louder.
A Gunn senior in the student section was reportedly also taunting the Wilcox boys varsity basketball team about Gunn’s win, an anonymous Gunn sophomore said. The student was subsequently suspended from school for a day.
“[Wilcox High] parents, their grown parents, were screaming during [Gunn] free throws,” Jaquette said. “So, tensions were high … and people were filming them screaming.”
According to videos taken by someone in the Gunn student section, Wilcox High boys varsity basketball parent Adam Bonilla was shoving Gunn assistant athletic director Kevin Johnson, Gunn boys varsity basketball coach Brandynn Williams and others. Adam’s wife, Shanika Bonilla, tried to intervene and stop the fighting.
Soon after, Shanika pushed a Gunn parent to the ground as the parent was filming the brawl. In response, an echo of gasps and screams let out from onlookers in the gym, creating further havoc and confusion. According to the Daily Post, paramedics later examined the parent and concluded that they were uninjured.
As a Gunn sophomore was trying to descend the bleachers to help the pushed parent up, the student said that Shanika yanked her hair and grabbed her hoodie.
“I was kind of just scared,” Gunn High sophomore Aminjin Battulga said. “I kind of stood back by the bleachers. Afterward, at least for the [cheerleaders], we were all told to go to the dance room just to be safe.”
Basketball players and teenage spectators from Wilcox High and Gunn High, respectively, also began to show signs of tension, a video shows. Wilcox basketball players can be seen trying to push a teenager before the Gunn administration and Adam split everyone up.
Further fighting ensued in the gym lobby, where Adam began attempting to throw punches at Johnson and other adults. He was soon held down and escorted out by Wilcox High basketball players, staff members and Johnson, among others.
In response to the events that took place, Gunn High principal Wendy Stratton posted an announcement on Schoology Wednesday morning, stating that school administration was working closely with Wilcox High administration to “investigate the incident”.
A fire truck, ambulance and several police cars arrived at the scene Tuesday night in response to 911 calls from Gunn athletic directors.
