SAN DIEGO -- An officer who was knocked out during a massive brawl at Lincoln High School spoke to 10News Wednesday to defend his actions.
San Diego Unified police officer Bashir Abdi told 10News that he was punched several times in the Feb. 26 fight that lead to the arrest of two students on multiple felony charges, including assault on an officer.
Abdi was taken to the hospital with a head injury and four students were also taken for treatment for being pepper sprayed.
“I had to call my dispatch and ask for additional officers,” Abdi told 10News Wednesday.
However, he says officers were several minutes away. He says he was alone, surrounded and outnumbered.
“I was punched in the head so many times…At the same time it felt like someone came from the back and punched me in the back, in the back of the head.”
He says the blows knocked him unconscious.
“All I remember is getting up and composing myself.”
He told the teens to stay back.
“At that point, I saw one of the students coming up to me combatively, and I made the decision to, per my department policy, to utilize my taser to defend myself.”
That student, according to Abdi, is 16-year-old Jesse Duncan, one of the students arrested. Jesse is the son of local rap artist Brandon Duncan, who made headlines in 2014 after he was jailed on a gang conspiracy charge over his rap lyrics despite having no criminal record. A judge tossed the case out in March 2015.
Lincoln High later announced it would not expel the involved students.
San Diego Unified police confirmed to 10News that this was the second time that Abdi has tasered a teen.
Abdi has filed a lawsuit against several students allegedly involved in the brawl. He has not sued SDUSD despite claims they did not have adequate security on campus.
“Keep in mind, this is one of the two most dangerous schools in this district,” Abdi’s attorney Dan Gilleon told 10News. “There are five different gangs there.”
Abdi claims he and previous Lincoln school officers requested either extra security or additional officers on campus, but their requests were ignored.
“Since I got there, there's been at least a few meetings with the school district and the police department,” Abdi said.
There is surveillance video of the riot. However, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis sent a letter to SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten Tuesday directing her not to release the video to the public due to the ongoing investigation.
