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After a one-minute video showing two young women engaged in a fist fight at a Fort Washington McDonald's near Crossland High School surfaced on the video-sharing Web site YouTube, parents, administrators and police say incessant after-school fighting is plaguing the community.

The short clip shows a young female charging into the McDonald's at 7100 Allentown Road and punching another female, as large crowds of students gather around.

Prince George's police spokesman Mike Rodriguez said police were dispatched to the McDonald's shortly before 3 p.m. on March 4, but the crowd – including the girl shown being beaten – had already dispersed, leaving officers with little information.

"The bottom line is if we don't have a victim we don't have anything," Rodriguez said, adding that police were unaware of the online video.

Aopeton Clarke, a manager at the McDonald's, said crowds of students flock to the eatery before and after school, forcing out customers who do not want to deal with the constant noise and fighting.

"Every day they fight, every day they fuss," Clarke said, adding that he has had to call police on several occasions.

Shawn Williams of Temple Hills, the parent of a Crossland High School freshman, came across the video after she heard her son's friends talking about the fight after school March 4 and immediately sent an e-mail to school administrators with a link to the video clip.

School board member Linda Thomas (District 4), who was forwarded the e-mail, said she was surprised and disappointed to see students behaving in such a violent manner.

Williams said the only response she received from school officials was that the matter would be looked into.

"What happens in the meantime? Someone gets hurt in the meantime," Williams said. "I am fearful not only for my child, but for other children too."

Thomas said she understood parents' concern and frustration.

"Because we are so slow and it takes us so long to get to things, something can happen [in the interim]," she said.

A response to Williams' e-mail from Monica Goldson, executive director for the county's High School Consortium, said that school security would be informed about the incident.

Crossland High Principal Charles Thomas also received the e-mail but could not verify whether the young women shown were students at the school.

"We do absolutely everything we can to ensure that our students are safe in our school," Thomas said in an e-mail. "Our security staff is aware of what happened, and we continue to be particularly vigilant to ensure that all of our students remain safe while attending our school."

While the McDonald's is just a short walk from the school's campus, the incident did not take place on school grounds or during school hours.

"It is important to understand that our jurisdiction does not extend into the community. This particular incident occurred in the community and is within the jurisdiction of the county police," Thomas said.

School spokesman John White called the video "disturbing" and asked for students to alert parents and teachers if they know an event like this is going to occur.

By Wednesday afternoon, the YouTube video had received nearly 700 views.

A second video tagged "Crossland Fight" posted in May shows two girls fighting in what appears to be a parking lot. The video has received nearly 16,000 views.

"In this age when we are so connected, whether it's before, after or during the [school] day, the community needs to work together to prevent these incidents," White said, adding that he had seen the earlier May video.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call police at 1-866-411-TIPS.

E-mail Megan McKeever at mmckeever@gazette.net.