18-year-olds accused in riot at high school

Two teens were charged after allegedly starting a riot at a public high school over a stolen vaping device.

On Friday, officers with the Guam International Airport Authority Police responded to a disturbance at Tiyan High School, where it was reported that Mikson Lippwe and Sapuro Timothy, both 18, were involved in a fight also involving 15 to 20 minors, according to a magistrate's complaint filed Monday in the Superior Court of Guam.

Police learned that a fight broke out after a student accused another student of stealing a vaping device.

"Lippwe, who is friends with the student accused of stealing the vape, admitted to punching (the accuser) in the face, as well as several other students during the fight. Timothy, who is also friends with the student accused of stealing the vape, admitted to trying to hit (the accuser) in the back of his neck but missed because (the vice principal) was standing between the two of them," the complaint stated.

Timothy also allegedly admitted that he wanted to hit the accuser and was "defending his friend accused of stealing the vape," the complaint added.

Tiyan High School Vice Principal Joel Punzalan told officers that he gave Lippwe and Timothy verbal instructions to stay away from the accusers and not get involved due to their age, but they disobeyed instructions.

Punzalan also noted, according to the complaint, that Lippwe and Timothy punched students involved in the fight as well as students in the crowd watching the fight. Punzalan and a school aide were able to restrain Timothy, but they were unable to stop Lippwe, who allegedly continued to hit other students until other staff were able to help subdue him.

Lippwe and Timothy were charged with two counts each of rioting as a third-degree felony and as a misdemeanor, two counts of misdemeanor assault and two counts of disorderly conduct as petty misdemeanors.