Teens on summer vacation break into school, set off extinguisher, damage equipment

It was a Saturday night in June and seven teenagers with too much free time thought it would be a good idea to head over to a Hialeah middle school and do some damage.

After breaking into the building they rummaged through a main office and opened and closed drawers before unleashing the contents of a fire extinguisher. Total damage to computers, printers and phones: More than $2,000.

Now, almost a month after the teens broke into Henry H. Filer Middle School at 531 W. 29th St., school leaders have released a 1:minute and 42:second video in the hope that someone — even the kids parents — turn in the teens.

“They just thought it was funny. They thought it was like water balloons,” school principal Emirce Guerra told Miami Herald news partner CBS 4.

The video begins with three girls rummaging through an office. They are soon joined by three males. All the while on a table in the background: The soon-to-be set-off fire extinguisher.

Some of the male teens open and close drawers. At one point one of them picks up the extinguisher then sets it on the ground. A few seconds later another male picks it up and unleashes a stream of foam.

Then the camera changes to the hallway, where six of the teens are looking toward a surveillance camera, their cellphones out recording video. Seconds later a large plume of smoke, likely from the extinguisher, covers the screen and the kids run.

Then, it’s over.

CBS4 reported Friday that five juveniles have been arrested in the case, and two more suspects are expected to turn themselves into police.

This story was originally published July 14, 2017 at 8:36 PM with the headline "Teens on summer vacation break into school, set off extinguisher, damage equipment."