Robbinsdale School District Assistant Principal Faces Possible Felony Charge
Law enforcement officials in Golden Valley are asking the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to consider felony obstruction charges against an assistant principal in the Robbinsdale Area School District.
It comes after a fight involving brass knuckles in the girls bathroom left one student with stiches and a concussion.
Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green said Robbinsdale Academy – Highview Assistant Principal Patrick Burrage “really kind of made it real difficult for us to investigate this crime. And I think the real concern for me is that fact that, what does this say to the parent of the student who was injured?”
Fight at School Involving Brass Knuckles
Green says officers responded to Robbinsdale Academy – Highview in November 2024 after a report of a fight involving brass knuckles.
Arriving officers didn’t get much cooperation from the assistant principal on the scene, according to Green.
“So you’re called for a school fight — one of your officers is talking about kids getting felonies O.K.? It’s a school fight,” Burrage says in officer bodycam footage obtained by CCX News. “I understand that you were called, so you’ve got to write a report. That’s what it is. So that’s where we’ll leave it. So, nobody’s in danger or anything.”
Under state law, possession of brass knuckles on school grounds is a felony, according to Green.
A set of brass knuckles recovered from a fight at Robbinsdale Academy – Highview.
Brass Knuckles Recovered
Burrage allegedly told investigators he didn’t know if brass knuckles were involved in the fight or the location of the weapon.
“When we got there, there was a lot of confusion as to where the students were at, where the brass knuckles were at,” Green said. “We really didn’t get a lot of cooperation … that was a real concern to them because it was really hindering us from gathering more information, doing some of that basic investigation.”
After unsuccessful attempts to interview the teachers that broke up the fight, law enforcement officials obtained a warrant to search the school for the weapon.
“When we did, our detectives met with [Burrage],” Green said. “He pulled the brass knuckles out of his desk and said ‘oh, hey, here they are.’ There were some questions asked of him — how did he come in possession of those brass knuckles? He really didn’t give a good answer other than, ‘let’s just go and say I found them in the bathroom.'”
Investigators allege that a teacher recovered the brass knuckles and turned them into Burrage.
Police, as well as Golden Valley city prosecutors and attorneys reviewed the incident for possible obstruction charges.
“There’s clear evidence that shows there was some intent,” Green said. “At any time he could have gave those brass knuckles over to our agency. He never said, by the way, ‘there they are.’ And that was something that should have been done pretty immediate.”
The city prosecutor believed the case was a felony example of obstructing an investigation.
It’s now been sent to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for review.
Meanwhile, Green says felony charges for the student that brought the brass knuckles to the fight are pending.
Law enforcement officials in Golden Valley are asking the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to consider felony obstruction charges against an assistant principal in the Robbinsdale Area School District.
District Statement
A spokesperson for Robbinsdale Area Schools sent CCX News the following statement on the incident:
“We have conducted a thorough investigation and taken appropriate action. Principals are subject to a collective bargaining agreement and at this time there is no public data regarding any action taken by the district against any employees related to this matter.”
Golden Valley Chief’s Health Concerns
Green says the students involved in the incident were checked out by the school nurse.
However, according to Green, a paramedic at the scene did not have the opportunity to assess the victim’s health status after the fight.
The victim’s parent took their child to the hospital the following day for stitches. Doctors found the victim also had sustained a concussion.
“Those are some things that we would have really liked to have known that day to get that student some of that immediate care, and it was concerning when [Burrage] stated that this was just a normal fight, there wasn’t anything going on.”
