Admin placed on leave after curse-laden video following damage from ‘Fugitive Night’ at Sonoma Valley High School

Hundreds of students took part in the hazing ritual known as “Fugitive Night” on Saturday, causing thousands of dollars in damage. That included the window of attendance specialist Crystal Morgan, who took to social media to express her displeasure in a curse-riddled and widely shared Snapchat video.

“Who the <expletive> did that to my window? If you know who did it, you own it. If you don’t know who did it, find out who did it and have them own it and pay for it. What the <expletive> have I ever done to be disrespected like this?” an enraged Morgan says in the video. “Disgusting, I am so disappointed. And mostly, I’m <expletive> hurt. You <expletive> my window up. Shame on you! You have enough <expletive> to <expletive> play with a gun, come to my <expletive> face.”

Morgan was placed on paid administrative leave earlier this week, according to several district sources. Acting Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Kaufman did not immediately respond to request for comments from the Index-Tribune.

At approximately 9 p.m., an estimated 200 students were on campus to take part in the “fugitive” game, during which older students chase younger classmates from Ernie Smith Community Park to the Dragon statue at the front of the school. They shot imitation firearms at district property, pelted students with frozen paintballs and threw frozen water balloons, causing thousands of dollars in damages.

At 10 p.m., police were called to the scene. Many students then left, but some remained and engaged in the destructive behavior, wrote Police Chief Brandon Cutting and Kaufman in a joint statement.

The school district’s maintenance and operations staff spent four hours cleaning up the campus on Sunday, including removing paint and eggs as well as boarding up smashed windows.

“We have also filed a police report and are still awaiting an estimate for the repairs, which we anticipate will total multiple thousands of dollars,” the statement says.

Morgan posted the video on Sunday or Monday, after seeing the damage to her office, which included a broken window. Sources who asked not to be identified said several students follow her on Snapchat and were “shocked” by the content of her post.

According to the union contract, the school district’s Director of Human Resources Andrew Ryan can place staff members of paid administrative leave while investigating an incident, but the Board of Trustees would have final say if school officials seek to terminate Morgan from her position.

Police are also investigating the damage on campus by reviewing security videos and interviewing the students involved.

The Sonoma Police Department also received calls from community members on Saturday night reporting dangerous and destructive behavior — including reckless driving, kids shooting from vehicles with paintball and airsoft guns at people on sidewalks — elsewhere in Sonoma.

A window was shot out at a business on Broadway, across from the school. A criminal investigation of the incident is taking place.

“If a student were to have been observed allowing a paintball gun to be fired from a moving vehicle at a person outside of that vehicle, the driver as well as the person shooting would be facing criminal charges,” the statement says.

Cutting and Kaufman wrote that although the “fugitive” game has been a tradition in Sonoma, it is not a school-sponsored or supported activity and as it escalates, it puts the safety of students, staff and property at risk.

“We ask for your cooperation in preventing similar incidents in the future by reinforcing this message with your child and making sure they understand the seriousness of the situation,” they wrote. “Understanding that this game will likely happen year after year, the participants must rein in the destructive and violent actions that seem to have been growing every year.”

This is a developing story, check back later for details.

Reach the reporter, Dan Johnson, at daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com.