Several people were taken to area hospitals Thursday night after a large fight broke out among residents at the Whitney Academy group home in Dighton, according to Dighton police. Some staff members suffered minor injuries while trying to break up the fight. Six public safety agencies responded to the scene to help bring the chaos under control.
Dighton police officers responded to the group home at 1940 Horton St. on Thursday, as reported by WJAR. Police Chief George L. Nichols did not specify how many people were transported to hospitals or whether those taken for treatment were residents, staff members, or both.
The response drew help from well beyond Dighton's own department. Dighton Fire, Rehoboth police, Rehoboth EMS, Berkley police and Berkley Fire all assisted at the scene, the station's report notes, underscoring how quickly the situation escalated beyond what a single department could handle on its own.
What Is Whitney Academy?
Whitney Academy describes itself as a year-round residential treatment center serving developmentally delayed and psychiatrically disordered young men ages 10 to 22, according to its own website, whitneyacademy.org. The organization says it provides everything from community residences to clinical, medical and educational services, and it was founded by George and Sheila Harmon in 1986.
Separately, the Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools lists Whitney Academy as a highly specialized residential treatment center and school for adolescent boys, per maaps.org, which places the facility at 85 Dr Braley Road in East Freetown — a different address than the Horton Street location cited by Dighton police in connection with Thursday's fight. The relationship between the two addresses has not been established.
Details Still Unclear
Much about Thursday's incident remains unknown. Authorities have not released the number of people hospitalized, their conditions, or whether anyone involved in the fight now faces charges. It is also not yet clear what sparked the altercation or how long it lasted before responders were able to intervene.
