Student fight cuts Liberty High’s homecoming short, draws large police response
A fight involving a group of students abruptly cut Liberty High School’s homecoming dance short Saturday night, leading to panic, confusion, and a large police and emergency vehicle presence at the school, school officials said.
In a message sent Saturday night to Liberty High families, principal Mike Sharp said that in the confusion that followed the fight, some students reported hearing what they believed were gunshots, leading to rumors of a weapon on campus.
“We want to reassure you that there were no weapons found on campus, and there were no shots fired,” Sharp said.
Liberty police received calls about 9:40 p.m. regarding possible shots fired at the dance, but were quickly notified by district security that none had been fired and that the sounds were “likely balloons popping during the chaos of a physical fight between juveniles,” Capt. Matt Kellogg with the Liberty Police Department said in an email.
Police detained several students, who were later released to their parents, Kellogg said. The number of students detained was not immediately available, but at least two were.
The cause and possible charges are still under investigation by district security and Liberty police. The last officer cleared from the call at about 11:20 p.m., after assisting with the early end of the homecoming dance.
Due to the Fall Festival being held in Liberty, the police department had extra officers working Saturday night. Nine officers responded to the dance, which was taking place at Liberty High School, 200 Blue Jay Drive, in Liberty. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office was also asked to respond, but was disregarded once it was learned no shooting had occurred
The police and emergency response was “out of an abundance of caution,” Sharp said in his message.
“We are grateful for their swift response and partnership,” Sharp said. “Please know that everyone is safe, but due to the disruption and to ensure the continued safety of all students and staff, we made the decision to end the dance early.”
In a follow-up message, Sharp said on Sunday that while they were grateful the report of a firearm was a false alarm, they recognized that the situation was chaotic and upsetting for many students staff and families. The district is providing additional counseling resources at the school on Monday. Any student feeling unsettled or affected by the incident is encouraged to take advantage of the support.
On Sunday, the school administrative team collected and organized personal belongings left behind by students while the dance was evacuated. Students will be able to stop by the main office on Monday to retrieve them.
The incident is being investigated and anyone involved will be disciplined per board policy, Sharp said.
“All of us here at LHS are disappointed that this incident occurred and put a damper on what was supposed to be an evening of celebration and showcase for our school,” Sharp said. “It’s always a shame when poor decisions by just a few individuals can negatively impact an event that so many had put a tremendous amount of time into planning.”
The incident at the dance comes two weeks after reports of gunfire sent guests at Worlds of Fun running for exits on the first night of their Halloween Haunt event
At about 9:21 p.m. on Sept. 13, police officers working off-duty reported possible shots fired or the sound of shots at the amusement park at 4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue in Kansas City, North. Detectives, assisted by Worlds of Fun security, later determined that the noise was actually fireworks.
The incident, however, led to the amusement park changing its chaperone policy, requiring those 17 years old and younger to have a chaperone at least 21 years old to be admitted and remain in the park. There can only be one chaperone for every five underage guests. Those without chaperones will not be allowed to enter.
This story was originally published September 28, 2025 at 3:54 PM.
