Police: Knives, Violence Reported at 'The Pit'

A number of recent incidents behind Broadneck High School have drawn more police to an area commonly referred to as "The Pit."

In February alone, Anne Arundel County police have charged 13 people, mostly teenagers from BHS, with illegal activity ranging from possessing a tobacco product under the age of 18 to carrying dangerous weapons and drug paraphernalia.

On Feb. 8, police arrived after a fight between several individuals who fled by the time police arrived. The fight was said to have lasted only one minute, and broke out just 10 minutes after school ended at BHS.

A video of the fight was recorded by students and uploaded to a social media site. Police obtained the video and with the help of the school resource officer were able to identify five individuals, including Austin Lane Stringer, 18, of Arnold, who was charged with second-degree assault, and four juveniles who were charged with disorderly conduct and affray.

On Feb. 12, officers issued juvenile citations of underage smoking to five teenagers, one of whom lit a cigarette in front of the officer, according to a release.

On Feb. 26, police were investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Southview Drive and Chestnut Tree Drive. Upon investigation, an officer spotted an edged weapon in the lap of the vehicle's driver, David Jordan Mahanes, 23, of Arnold.

Mahanes was ordered out of the vehicle, and the officer discovered several more weapons and drug paraphernalia.

Police seized six edged weapons from Mahanes' vehicle, including a butterfly knife, a 14-inch long, fixed-blade knife, a black T-handle knife, a black-handled curved boot knife, and a hatchet-style knife.

Mahanes was charged with unlawfully carrying a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. On that same day, an officer issued juvenile citations to two 15-year-old females for the same charges as Mahanes.

In a release issued to the community, Anne Arundel County police officials assured an increased presence in the area. "Anne Arundel County Police Officers will continue to provide an increased visible presence in the area," according to the release.

In January 2012, an 18-year-old was hospitalized after a fight at The Pit with a 15-year-old student. The older teen's right eye was seriously injured, police said.