4 charged with breaking into school, beating student

Four teenagers accused of breaking into a Minneapolis high school and beating a student have been charged with burglary and rioting.

Police say the four males, ages 16 and 17, broke through a locked door at Southwest High School Jan. 22. The four apparently had an argument with the victim on social media, so they went to the school to confront him. The four attend other Minneapolis schools.

A Southwest teacher told police he was teaching chemistry when the four entered his classroom and began punching and kicking one of his students. The teacher tried to break up the fight and suffered a broken finger.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says he charged the four with burglary because it has tougher penalties than lower-level assault charges.

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